Capt. Manolo T. Gacutan
MOFYA Star By Lyn Bacani “Providing jobs is tantamount to serving our fellowmen and the country,” believes Captain Manolo T. Gacutan, MOFYA 2011 awardee for Outstanding Achievement for Entrepreneurship. The merchant marine captain is a product of the public schools, serving 16 years onboard international commercial vessels. More, he attained the highest position in his profession (captain of a ship) at the early age of 29. After serving as Operations Manager and Port Captain in the United Kingdom, he begun establishing his own manning agency, Philman Marine Agency, Inc. later renamed Döhle Philman Manning Agency, Inc. in gratitude to the Döhle Group as ship-owners and long-time business partners. He was barely 34 years, then.
Outstanding Agency. Döhle Philman started in 1993 and now provides thousands of jobs to Filipinos making it a consistent awardee as Outstanding Employer and Top Performer in the rankings of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). Just recently, Döhle-Philman gave out loyalty awards to more than 40 seafarers who have continuously served the Döhle principals for 20 years, a reflection of seafarers satisfaction to management. But more surprisingly, POEA itself pointed out to Capt. Gacutan that “… dito pala e tatlong generations, may sinasakay kami - grand father, father, grandson,” (we have hired onboard three generations – grandfather, father, grandson).
Center and operations. Döhle Haus is a new 10-storey building in Makati housing its administration offices. It also has a dormitory providing
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FUSION OF MA RI T I ME NE W S & VI E W S
JANUARY 2012
Capt. Gacutan accepts greetings from the Senate Pro Tempore, Sen Jinggoy Estrada.
free board and lodging to its seafarers who are about to join, disembark or processing requirements. Gacutan has served the ships owned by the Döhle Group for four years and the company for more than 18 years now. After serving the father, he now works with the son, apparently a replay of the loyalty of his seamen to Gacutan’s agency. And this loyalty and satisfactory performance Capt Gacutan always inculcates to his staff and hires. “Wag ninyong isiping kayo ay sumasakay lang dito, treat the company as yours, para magkaroon kayo ng pagmamalasakit. Our seafarers are our bread and butter. It’s a give and take relationship. Hanggang kaya nyo, isasakay namin kayo sa barko. Ako mismo, I am not businessman, not lawyer, I am from the profession, umakyat lang, I can relate kung ano
ang nararanasan ng seaman,” explains Gacutan. (Never think that you are just onboard, treat the company as yours, so that you will have concern. Our seafarers are our bread and butter. It’s a give-andtake relationship. For as long as you can, we will place you on board. I am not a businessman, not a lawyer, I am from the profession who only achieved. I can relate to whatever are the experiences of the seaman). With branch in Iloilo, Döhle Philman supplies at least 80% of the crew to its principals, all under the Döhle Group.
Out to the Barangay. While from a family of politicians, Capt Gacutan has waived off from electoral and partisan politics. He prefers to serve by providing jobs which already help the town and the country.