MARINA pushing for 2 priority bills to help PH maritime industry, economy

Transcript

00:00 The country is in the top five best shipbuilders and ship repairers on the planet.

00:04 An industry that boasts of 107 small, medium, and large shipyards and/or dry dock that provides

00:11 work to over 50,000 people.

00:13 The authority is pushing two priority bills to help the maritime industry and the economy of

00:27 the country. They include the ship registry and shipbuilding development bills. But due to lack

00:32 of time, the agency is eyeing to file them in the next congress after the midterm elections.

00:37 Both bills will give more work. If our ship registry can be expanded,

00:44 more ships will register and bring our flag. And our requirement is 100% Filipino crew.

00:55 So we can give more seafarers work.

01:00 She added this will help the economy with taxes to be paid and with more ships carrying the

01:04 Philippine flag. It will increase visibility and exposure of the country in the global trade.

01:10 On the other bill, the country needs to expand its current shipyards. The Philippines is sport

01:14 in shipbuilding in the world but with a wide gap from third and second on the list.

01:18 We also produce a lot of ships locally or in the Philippines. But we ship them to other

01:26 countries or they are being exported. Our domestic shipping needs, like those who import,

01:35 modernize our ships for the Philippines, are from other countries. It's better if

01:44 the ships are made here and used here.

01:47 She added that if this happens, more shipyard workers will be needed for shipyard expansion.

01:52 Likewise, Maluluan said that incentives should also be extended to help shipbuilders and shipyard

01:58 owners. She added the country has potential as given the wealth or manpower number of

02:03 Filipino skilled workers. Meanwhile, on the proposed Magna Carta for Seafarers bill that

02:08 has yet to be signed by the president, the latest or updated version will include maritime education

02:13 to be part of Marina. For the part of Marina, this will be a challenge if the law is passed.

02:18 The agency said it will need the support of the government in terms of manpower and financial

02:23 resources to make it work. Rod Laguz said, from the National TV for a new and better Philippines.