Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Tagalog.
Did you know that there are female seafarers? The maritime industry is not just a male-dominated field. Some women have been seafarers for a lot of years and have a crucial role and responsibilities on the ship. If you want to discover new places while making a living, then you can be a seafarer.
A good example of this is Mrs. Jessibel, a female seafarer who has been working in the maritime industry since 2002. She started working on the cruise ship, but she’s now working as a chief stewardess on a yacht. She’s in charge of the interior department of the yacht, planning all the events, and serving the guests from breakfast to dinner.
The female seafarer shared that on the cruise ship, there are a lot of girls working in the housekeeping, engine, and deck departments. Whatever role and responsibilities that male seafarers have on the ship, women also have the strength and resilience to do it. Mrs. Jessibel also shared that she didn’t experience any forms of discrimination because of her gender. The men seafarers treated her like a good friend and a sister. They even go to bars to party, dine at restaurants, or visit different places after their duty because they have developed a sense of camaraderie.
“Lahat sila especially sa mga nationality na like mga European, wala silang discrimination about us. They love Filipinos, actually, yun talaga ang totoo kasi kasi kapag nakakita sila ng Filipino, natutuwa na talaga sila.”
—Jessibel, Chief Stewardess
Aside from the friendships she built inside the ship, she truly enjoys every moment of her life as a seafarer. The company where she’s currently working is taking care of her needs, from food, shelter, to toiletries. She loves her job, but the only downside of seafaring she doesn’t like is battling seasickness because of the big waves. Through this career, she’s now living her dream to travel to different countries without spending money. She has already been to several places in Europe and the United States of America. Every voyage is both a job and an adventure at the same time. The only thing she hasn’t explored yet is Asia, which is her goal right now.
Be like Mrs. Jessibel, who conquers every wave just to pursue her passion and provide for her family. The maritime industry needs more women who are passionate, determined, and resilient. So, if you’ve ever dreamed of exploring the world, go ahead and let the sea be the place where you start navigating towards your dreams. Don’t let stereotypes and other negative things hold you back.
