The Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) gathered maritime leaders, shipping partners, union members, and cadets during the SMOU Manila Nite and Wavelink CadetsPlus Graduation held on 22 May 2026 at Conrad Manila.

The annual gathering served as one of SMOU’s major engagements with Filipino seafarers and maritime stakeholders, highlighting the organization’s continued support for training, welfare, and professional development in the maritime sector. Previous SMOU Manila events drew hundreds of maritime guests and shipping representatives, becoming a recognized gathering among Filipino maritime professionals. (SeaVoices)

A major highlight of the event was the recognition of 114 Filipino cadets who graduated from the Wavelink CadetsPlus Programme. The initiative is designed to help prepare cadets for international maritime careers by strengthening practical shipboard readiness, leadership, discipline, and safety awareness before deployment. Similar CadetsPlus batches in recent years have also produced hundreds of Filipino graduates under the SMOU and Wavelink partnership. (SeaVoices)

SMOU shared a message during the celebration stating, “Wherever we gather, the spirit of the sea keeps us connected,” reflecting the strong relationship among seafarers, cadets, and maritime partners.

The event was attended by Singapore Ambassador Constance See, SMOU President Rahim Jaffar, maritime unions, shipping executives, government representatives, and sea-based industry partners.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) also joined the gathering and reaffirmed its support for Filipino seafarers. Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay, representing DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, recognized SMOU’s contribution to seafarer welfare and maritime training while highlighting the continued maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Singapore in developing future Filipino maritime professionals.