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The Maritime Industry Authority will ‘aggressively pursue’ in the next Congress the passage of bills aimed at improving the country’s ship registry and modernizing the shipbuilding and ship repair industry
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The revised or ‘administration version’ of the draft bills will be filed in the 20th Congress which will start next year
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will “aggressively pursue” the passage of bills aimed at improving the country’s ship registry and modernizing the shipbuilding and ship repair (SBSR) industry in the next Congress.
The revised or “administration version” of the draft bills will be filed in the 20th Congress next year, MARINA administrator Sonia Malaluan said in a media briefing on December 19.
The MARINA chief said the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office is helping the agency draft the two bills as instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. MARINA has requested the President to certify the bills as priority measures in the incoming Congress.
A focused group discussion on the two bills was also conducted with other concerned government agencies, who all support the bills, Malaluan noted.
In a press briefing last April, Malaluan said the bills are being prioritized as they will provide “more impact” to the economy and enable other programs and projects in MARINA’s Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028, a whole-of-nation roadmap for the integrated development and strategic direction of the maritime industry.
READ: MARINA pushing for bills to improve ship registry, modernize shipbuilding industry
Pending bills in line with MARINA’s legislative agenda include House Bill (HB) No. 4336 and Senate Bill Nos. 902 and 1564 that seek to establish a ship registry system in the Philippines; and HB 4335 and HB 8374 proposing the Shipbuilding Development Act. All are stuck at the committee level.
There is little time to get the measures passed as the term of the current (19th) Congress ends in June 2025, Malaluan said.
She said there is need to strengthen and expand the country’s ship registry, noting only about 100 ships are Philippine-registered, most under bareboat charter agreement.
She said MARINA envisions the country to have a “strong ship registry”, not a flag of convenience where there is no “genuine link between the country and the shipowner” and anyone from any country can simply submit their requirements and pay to carry their flags.
In the Philippines, there are requirements on ownership, crew, and taxes.
She said having a strong Philippine registry will also help Filipino seafarers. One of the requirements for registration is for the ship to have a 100% Filipino crew onboard.
While the bill on ship registry has yet to pass, Malaluan said MARINA is already improving registration through digitalization, making the process shorter and more efficient.
The shipbuilding bill, meanwhile, will also support modernization of the domestic shipping industry.
Malaluan noted the irony of local shipowners acquiring ships abroad and local shipbuilders constructing newbuilds for export. “If we will run the figures, it would be more cost-efficient kung dito ginawa, dito rin gagamitin (if the ships are constructed here, and also used here).”
Shipyard Association of the Philippines president Meneleo Carlos III also earlier said that it is “best you invest in our local capacity” since local shipyards will be the ones maintaining the ships anyway. – Roumina Pablo
