Retrospect: Philippine maritime industry

Retrospect: Philippine maritime industry
Atty. Brenda V. Pimentel December 31, 2025 https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/12/31/business/maritime/retrospect-phil...

TOMORROW starts another year of optimism and expectations for this archipelago’s maritime industry, of fulfilling the vision of a developed Philippine merchant fleet capable of responding to the country’s sea transport requirements both in the local and international trade. Such vision was clearly stipulated by Presidential Decree (PD) 474, the law that created the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina). The said vision was backed by ensuing presidential issuances and legislation which laid down the needed support to enable Filipino shipping entrepreneurs and operators which constitute the main cluster by which to realize the national objective of linking the islands and reaching out to world trade and commerce.

The rationale of establishing Marina as flag administration is founded on that vision: sustainable shipping that provides reliable, seaworthy, efficient and environment-friendly Philippine-flagged ships able to address the ensuing policies and regulations formulated during the period 1975 up to the turn of the 21st century were directed to ensuring that Philippine shipping remains an attractive investment prospect. Dialogues and consultation among maritime industry stakeholders, from government and industry, were strategic steps aimed at establishing transparency and constancy in policy formulation. The sustained engagement of industry representatives was the hallmark of the maritime administration during the first two decades following the creation of Marina which helped much in steering the flag administration at which time discernible improvement in domestic ferry operations were noted such as the introduction of steel-hulled, roll-on roll-off vessels and high-speed crafts. Updated and responsive policy options were taken during the period when registered Philippine-flagged ships plying international trade peaked. The Philippines capitalized on the widening market which created opportunities for emerging maritime countries. The strong cooperation between government and industry shaped the forging of policies that will further support Philippine shipping and the expansion of the merchant fleet.

Toward the end of the 20th century, additional functions were transferred to Marina, particularly those pertaining to seafarers’ education, training and certification as are stipulated in the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. Maritime higher education (for seafarers) was transferred from the Commission on Higher Education which has the core function of supervising higher education to the flag administration (Marina) and which stakeholders consider unfounded more so as the law which brought about such sweeping and wholesale transposition of functions relates to seafarers’ rights. Across this archipelago, uncertainties of what awaits maritime higher education remain with inconsistent and stifled explanations delivered by those tasked to implement the transferred functions.
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Amid all the chaos, the beginning of the new year should provide the opportunity to backtrack and evaluate the faithfulness of the maritime administration to its mandate as stipulated in PD 474. After all, it holds the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (the current president’s father) of developing the Philippine maritime industry made evident by a developed and robust merchant fleet. Foremost, what plagues this archipelago’s domestic shipping sector should be given urgent attention by the flag administration.