A cultural or events centre at AMOSUP Seamen’s Village in Dasmariñas City has opened for performances and other functions after its well attended inaugural rites last 15 March.
The Eight Anchors Cultural Centre (EACC) is a 500-seat multi-purpose auditorium-cum-ballroom that also offers facilities for exhibit hall, conference rooms, and spaces dedicated to activities of union members and their children or wives and industry partners.
Named after the symbolic eight anchors representing the AMOSUP core programs, EACC promises to be an excellent venue for various indoor events like cultural shows, trade exhibits, community fairs, season performances, conferences and the like.
AMOSUP president Dr. Conrado Oca, who led the inauguration of the centre, said “it is exceedingly suitable and perfect for the numerous activities of your very active home-grown organisations and the grand events of union and social partners.”
Referring to the various activity groups that Seamen’s Village now harbours, Dr. Oca stressed that these home-grown organisations have kept the community alive and vibrant. They included the advocacy groups, namely: Craftstruck Club, GASFI or Gig and the Amazing Sampaguita Foundation, Children of Seafarers in Action (COSA), Marino Kids Club, Echoes of the Sea, and Enclavesmarts. These organisations have played vital key role in community development of the village.
Through AMOSUP Community Development, which manages the union’s shelter programme led by Marissa Oca Robles, the village administration is not just concerned with total community development. Dr Oca said initiating programs for the youth, the spouses, the aged and other worthwhile initiatives, sufficient recreational facilities, educational and spiritual needs have always been the focus of their activities.
The union emphasises and values the role of the family, being the basic unit of society. Thus, many of the union’s programs are family-centred, most especially, the Community Development Program.
Simultaneous with the inauguration and blessing of the cultural centre were also the launching of the Seamen’s Village Eco Development Centre and the Filipino Food Arts Development Centre. A tree planting ceremony and awarding of winners of essay writing contest with the theme: “The Seafarer, My Parent” was also held at the EACC.
Dr. Oca sees the new cultural centre to have a “useful purpose of promoting camaraderie, nurturing solidarity and encouraging cooperation among the community members of the Seamen’s Village – very much the same as what the union advocates among the social partners of the maritime industry.”