Marina to open extension office in Subic Bay Freeport Zone for 21,305 seafarers from Bataan, Olongapo, Zambales, SBFZ

Maritime stakeholders at SBMA discuss seafarers’ issues in 2-day forum
Mar 26, 2022 https://centralluzon.politics.com.ph/maritime-stakeholders-at-sbma-discu...

A two-day forum was organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, in partnership with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), to discuss various programs intended to develop the maritime industry in the country.

MARINA administrator Robert Empedrad said the event called the “Philippine Maritime Industry Strategic Overview Forum, Stakeholders’ Orientation and Mobile Registration,” was intended to bring its services closer to Filipino seafarers.

Empedrad said the forum was also meants to enhance capabilities of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a transshipment hub, and urged stakeholders to unite their efforts for the realization of its goals.

“Today, we would like to share the vision of moving the maritime industry with the SBMA, the local government of Olongapo, maritime academe and private stakeholders, as we believed that our united efforts would contribute to the realization of the plans under the 10-year Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP),” he said.

During the forum, officials from MARINA discussed the overview of the MIDP, Philippine ship registry and overseas shipping, shipyard and ship repair, maritime safety functions, rules on the registration, licensing and operation of recreational boats, domestic shipping functions, and seafarers’ documentation, licensing and certification.

“We want to open an extension office here in Subic Bay Freeport Zone that will cater to the 21,305 seafarers from Bataan, Olongapo, Zambales, and the SBFZ. MARINA cannot do it alone but with our united efforts, the dream may become a reality,” Empedrad said.