The newly established Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association (PCSA) has formally inducted its new set of officers for 2019-2020.
PCSA—the merger of three Cebu-based shipping organizations Philippine Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Operators Association (PROA), Visayan Association of Ferry Boat and Coastwise Ship-owners Operators (VAFCSO), and United Trampers Association of the Philippines (UTAP)—held the oath-taking of its first set of officers and board of trustees on August 16.
The officers include chairman Lucio Lim, Jr. (Lite Shipping); president Paul Rodriguez (Asian Marine Transport Corp.); vice president for cargo shipping Benson Go (Seensam Shipping); vice president for passenger shipping Vicente Montenegro, Jr. (Montenegro Shipping); treasurer Pio Serafin Fulache (Medallion Shipping); and corporate secretary Teresa C. Abad (2GO Group, Inc.).
Its board of trustees includes Lim, Rodriguez, Montenegro, Abad, Fulache, Go, Alexander Cohon (Lapu-Lapu Shipping Lines), Arthur Kenneth Sy (Trans-Asia Shipping), and Jose Emery Roble (Roble Shipping).
PCSA has also named former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as chairman emeritus in recognition of her support for the local shipping industry when she authored the establishment of The Strong Republic RORO Nautical Highway. Arroyo attended the group’s induction.
PCSA earlier said that with the merger, it has become the largest shipping association in the Philippines, whose combined members operate the biggest total gross tonnage of ships in the country.
PCSA aims to further strengthen its advocacy to develop a robust domestic shipping industry through mutually beneficial government and private sector cooperation.
The organization, which was formally established last June, was formed “primarily to unify and organize ship owners and ship operators in the country,” Lim said earlier.
Lim said PCSA aims to promote a viable public policy framework that will accelerate the modernization and development of the domestic shipping industry.
He added that the newly formed group also wants to promote responsible ship ownership and adherence to accepted standards of safety and service in domestic shipping operations among its members.
