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THE seafaring sector holds many realities in its fold, and among these is that only a few women seafarers work onboard merchant vessels.
This challenge remains an enigma to many, especially at a time when gender equality is already upheld across all industries in the world.
Studies identified harassment, bullying, discrimination and the lack of gender and development (GAD) policy onboard to be among the reasons for the lack of women seafarers.
Meanwhile, a female ship officer bluntly professed what most studies missed in a ship safety conference — they will retire the moment they get married or have children.
Such is the reality, especially for Filipinos who are raised in a culture where women are the conventional homemakers.
A case in point is Raquii Omac, a first officer senior dynamic positioning operator (SDPO) onboard a construction vessel in the offshore sector.
Omac thrived and succeeded in a male-dominated industry with her determination and vigor. The woman is also armed with a strong personality that cannot be overcome by the intense physical demands of the job.
She affirmed that in her almost two decades at sea, she has been harassed several times. None of the attempts succeeded, and it never hindered Omac from returning to sea.
The only thing that would keep her from working on a ship is family.
“If the right person comes along, why not? A good man is always a bonus,” Omac said.
“If our Creator will give me a chance to be a mother, then that will probably be the reason,” she added.
Omac was born and raised in Bohol, an old city known for its family-oriented culture. These values weigh heavier for her and serve as the needle of her life’s compass.
The ship officer prefers the company of her grandparents and 14-year-old dog, LhuLhu, in Bohol whenever she’s on shore leave.
“The offshore industry offers a work-life balance. We work six weeks onboard and have six weeks of shore vacation. I enjoy spending my free time with my grandparents and LhuLhu,” she said.
What brings you to sea
If the family would be the reason for her retirement, it is also the family who introduced Omac to her passion for the sea.
“There was no seafarer in our family. I chose this path on my own. What led to it, though, were the times when my grandparents would take me to Manila to visit my parents; we usually took the ferries. It was then that I was exposed to this industry. I admired the crew in their smart, white uniforms with shoulder boards.
“Had I not been a seafarer, I would be an Airforce pilot — still in a smart uniform,” Omac shared.
As fate would have it, the sea won over Omac’s heart. She finished her bachelor’s degree in Marine Transportation at West Bay College in Alabang in 2002 and started sailing in 2003 onboard RoRo-passenger vessels and container ships.
“The best part of being a seafarer is the travels and meeting people from different nations. Working with them is bliss as long as you know what you are doing. In the offshore industry, the regular rotation of work and vacation months allow me to familiarize myself better with the ship, equipment, and people I work with,” she explained.
Omac is also determined to do the same physical tasks as men, regardless of exhaustion.
“It is a challenge because our physical capacity as women is different from the men. However, I do not want any special treatment onboard. I would do the same physical tasks without complaining. I just pushed through.”
Omac’s mantra in such testing times was, “I am a strong woman and you cannot break me.”
“It may sound arrogant to some, but these words actually saved me and still do,” she said.
Despite her seeming outgoing personality as “The Lost Mermaid” on social media, Omac sees herself as someone who finds energy around the people she loves on the island she calls home.
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