THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) together with vessel operators is putting together a new draft of the Philippine Marine Act for filing in Congress by early 2011.
“We are reviving the Maritime Act pushed by the previous administration as we believe it will be beneficial for the industry,” said Marina administrator Emerson Lorenzo.
The Maritime Act was not taken up in the last Congress because it was filed near the holding of the 2010 elections when legislators are known to skip sessions to campaign. This apparently resulted in a lack of quorum.
The new draft bill may include a provision consolidating all maritime functions and agencies into a single agency, although if this will prejudice passage of the bill, the provision will be dropped, Lorenzo said.
Bill sponsors in both Houses of Congress have been lined up to facilitate the measure’s approval.
The proposed act will harmonize all maritime legislation. It also aims to attract more foreign investments through the provision of incentives.
