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The Maritime Industry Authority is proposing to reorganize its structure, including adding manpower and satellite offices to effectively implement projects
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The Department of Transportation, MARINA’s mother agency, is reviewing the proposal prior to endorsement to the Department of Budget and Management
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MARINA is eyeing a manpower of 3,000, three times higher than its current 1,000 employees, almost half of whom are under job order or contract of service
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is proposing to reorganize its structure, including boosting manpower by three times and adding satellite offices to effectively implement projects, according to administrator Sonia Malaluan.
In a recent media interview, Malaluan said MARINA is proposing a manpower of 3,000, three times higher than its current 1,000 employees, almost half of whom are under job order or contract of service.
Additional regional and satellite/extension offices are also eyed to enhance coverage and for offices to be closer to stakeholders.
Part of the proposal is to have separate regional offices for Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, and 4B, and to institutionalize the National Capital Region (NCR) regional office.
Currently, MARINA’s regional office 1 and 2 are located in La Union, hours away by land from Region 2 provinces.
Also ideal is a regional office for Region 3, which covers Bataan and Subic where a number of small boats, fishing vessels and tourist boats operate.
In addition, MARINA wants to have separate regional offices for Regions 4A and 4B as the current regional office 4 covers a number of islands.
Malaluan said the reorganization will enable MARINA to effectively implement programs under the Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) 2028 and boost its regulatory and supervisory functions.
READ: Implementation of Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028 approved
Effective implementation of the MIDP—which aims to achieve a nationally-integrated and globally competitive Philippine maritime industry by 2028—is one of Malaluan’s priorities this year.
READ: MARINA sets 2024 priorities, led by digitalization
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), MARINA’s mother agency, is reviewing the proposal prior to endorsement to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
MARINA initially submitted its reorganization proposal to the DBM in 2021. The plan was retuned following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s pronouncement on the need to rightsize the bureaucracy.
DBM needed a new endorsement from DOTr, which earlier constituted an institutional strengthening committee to review the rightsizing of all attached agencies.
In case the reorganization is not approved by DBM, Malaluan said the proposal could be folded into planned legislation for the modernization of MARINA, which will be turning 50 this year.
The proposed measure is currently embodied in a “very rough draft” and will be carefully studied to avoid duplication with other agencies, the MARINA chief said. – Roumina Pablo
