Maritime accidents in Philippines ‘alarming’ at 782 —MARINA

The number of maritime accidents that occurred in the country from 2018 to 2022 is "alarming," the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said Tuesday.

During the deliberations of the Senate Committee on Finance on the proposed budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies for next year, MARINA administrator Hernani Fabia disclosed that 782 maritime accidents were recorded during the five-year period.

Airing his frustration, Senator Joel Villanueva—principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11058 or an "Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards” (OSHS)—asked MARINA if this was the most number of maritime accidents recorded in the region.

“I don’t have the data of other countries, but this is alarming,” Fabia answered.

Among the maritime accidents recently reported were the capsizing of the MB King Sto. Niño 7 in Corcuera, Romblon in August, with one fatality; the tilting of the MV Maria Helena in Banton, Romblon in July, with all passengers declared safe; the capsizing of the MB Aya Express in Binangonan, Rizal in July, which killed 27 people; and the MV Esperanza Star's catching fire in Panglao, Bohol in June, from which everyone was rescued; and the fire on the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 off Baluk-baluk, Basilan in April that left 33 people dead.

Villanueva asked Fabia if he had read the OSHS law, to which the latter replied in the negative.

“Hindi ako familiar sa [I'm not familiar with the] occupational safety and [health standards],” the MARINA administrator said.

The lawmaker stressed that there has to be radical policy changes and authorities have to be radical in implementing the safety protocols to reduce the number of maritime accidents in the country.

“For me, if you have 782 maritime accidents from 2018 to 2022, it’s a cause of concern for everyone of us, especially to MARINA. It is not as simple as that na papayagan lang natin itong ganitong data [that we would allow such data] without us doing anything,” Villanueva said.

Fabia, for his part, said there might be a need to revisit and amend the Presidential Decree No. 474, which created the MARINA in 1974.

MARINA has proposed a P1.171-billion budget under the 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP). — BM, GMA Integrated News