Westmead’s Graduation Ceremony 2014

     School year 2013-2014 was a year of glorious triumph and tremendous challenges for the Westmead International School academic community. This year culminates with Ms. Geneve V. Pesigan graduating Cum Laude for Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics. She was joined by the outstanding students from various programs namely: IvyLallaine C. Ragadio (AB Communication Arts), Maila M. De Castro (Bachelor of Elementary Education), Laika Minaliza A. Bitang (BS Information Technology), Sarah Jane A. Bituin (BS Accountancy), Mc Lexter A. Calales (BS Mechanical Engineering), Mariel D. De Chavez (BS Business Administration), and Kristia Olive D. Manalo (BS Tourism Management). The Senator Loren Legarda Leadership award was given to BS Customs Administration outstanding graduate Joyciel H. Malibiran. On the other hand, cum laude graduate, Geneve V. Pesigan, received the Senator Aquilino Pimentel III Excellence Award. The outstanding graduates is joined by more than 200 graduates coming from six different colleges of Westmead last April 5, 2014 at the Batangas Provincial Auditorium for their Commencement Exercises.

     This year’s commencement speaker is a man of great knowledge and inspiration. Atty. Nicasio Aranas Conti is the Deputy Administrator for planning of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). He served as the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Spokesperson from December 2011 to October 2012 during the stint of Secretary Mar Roxas. Atty. Conti started his career in government as legal consultant of the Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine Information Agency and Philippine Heart Center of Asia from 2001 to 2002.

     He also served as the Presidential Assistant at the Office of the President and Assistant Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff from 2003 to 2004. He likewise served as Commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government from 2005 to 2008. In MARINA, aside from being Officer-in-Charge from April 2012 to May 2013, he served as the Head of the National Secretariat for the conduct of the Diplomatic Conference to adopt amendments to the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for he was instrumental for the designation of MARINA as the Single Maritime Administration responsible for oversight in the implementation of the STCW Convention as amended through the signing by President Benigno S. Aquino III of Executive Order No. 75 series of 2012 which ended the long years of agency turf on jurisdiction over the education, training and certification of seafarers. Atty. Conti is largely credited for the expansion of MARINA’s functions through the opening of more plantilla positions and extension offices to cater to the needs of the dynamic shipping industry as well as the clinching of the establishments of the MARINA building after 39 years.

     Being a man of vision and action, he was given recognition for his hard work and dedication by the Alliance of MARINA Employees and was bestowed the Most Outstanding Public Servant by the United Filipino Seafarers and the Tinig ng Marino for 2012. Similarly, the Philippine Association of Maritime Training Centers, Inc. (PAMTCI) jointly conferred upon his Plaque of Recognition for his competent leadership as OIC Administrator of MARINA. His impressive educational and training background included San Beda College where he finished his bachelor’s degree in Economics as cum laude and class salutatorian. He also took up Bachelor of Laws in the same institution. He took up the pioneering course on Corruption Studies at the Hong Kong University in 2003. He was also a Chevening Fellow on Public Sector Reform Course in 2008 under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom. He was the professor of Economics in San Beda College from 1998 to 2010 and the author of the book,

“To Serve with Honor: A Primer against Corruption”.