Taking Action
The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) has vowed to minimize, if not eradicate, incidents of sea tragedies especially with the onset of the rainy season by keeping a close eye on the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
DoTC Secretary Jose Ping de Jesus said that the agency will make sure that MARINA will strictly enforce all rules of safety in marine transportation so that we wont experience more of sea tragedies that usually occur whenever there are sea and weather disturbances.
MARINA is currently headed by Administrator Primo Rivera on acting capacity.
There has to be strict enforcement of rules of safety so that all boats allowed to travel are sea worthy, that their crew is capable, and that they follow rules with respect to loading and overloading, and the likes, de Jesus said.
De Jesus also promised to improve the roll-on, roll-off sea craft as a major means of marine transportation, saying it needs support for expansion and improvement.
He added that MARINA and other agencies attached to the DoTC in areas of shipping, marine, civil aviation, rails and roads are undergoing review to improve the reinforcement functions of the agencies vested with regulatory powers.
Hopefully we will be able to finish our review in two to three weeks so that we can already start working and moving forward, he added.
Asked when he is going to name the new leaders of the DoTC-attached agencies, de Jesus only said a few names are already in Malacañang.
These names undergo evaluation processes. We check their background and get feedback from the various groups and sectors within the turf that they are being considered for appointment, he said.
Source:shiptalk