Puerto Galera Tragedy Shows Crack in MARINA Policies

I've just returned from the funeral of three family friends.

It's an experience I don't ever want to have to repeat in this lifetime. Every loss has a reason, and one of the things that helps loved ones move on is to be able to find meaning to the loss that has taken place. After my column in PDI came today, I got a deluge of emails regarding the sorry state of the ferry system in Puerto Galera and Batangas. How inefficient the Coast Guard is, and how many anomalies are being perpetrated in the name of profit. It made my heart sink and my stomach sick.

Here is an example of a statement sent to me by the United Seafarers of the Philippines...


Capsizing of Motor Boat Shows Crack in MARINA Policies

The recent capsizing of Motor Banca Commando – 6 in the waters off Puerto Galera in Mindoro in the afternoon of May 23, 2009 where 12 people perished including three kids and one Japanese tourist, has revealed a major crack in the policy of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on the regulation of operation of motorized bancas and similar wooden-hulled vessels.

Under Republic Act 9295, otherwise known as the Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004, domestic ship owners and operators are required to undertake a ship modernization program where wooden vessels will no longer be allowed to operate after five years.

Inspite of this specific provision in the law, MARINA still allowed the registration and continued operation of new-built wooden vessels, particularly motorized bancas.

“They should have stopped it dead on its tracks in order to encourage local owners and operators to either build or acquire steel-hulled vessels,” points out Engr. Nelson Ramirez, president of the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS).

“As it turned out, there have been numerous maritime incidents and accidents involving motorized bancas with outriggers since the second half of last year because a good number of these types of vessel do not even have the appropriate navigational and safety equipment onboard,” he cited.

“MARINA is also not helping the law takes its due course with its recent decision to defer the phase-out of wooden-hulled vessels for another five years. Yet before that directive, MARINA Administrator Elena Bautista was announcing to the whole maritime industry that the agency will work on reviving the moribund local shipbuilding industry. How can she encourage local shipbuilders to invest on facilities and technology if she wouldn’t allow the phasing out of wooden-hulled and generally unsafe vessels vis-à-vis those steel-hulled ones?” laments Ramirez.

The UFS president also noted that Puerto Galera is a port where there are already existing operators of steel-hulled vessels. “Why did MARINA allow the continued propagation of wooden-hulled vessels in the same route? Not even content with its own laxity in the rules, MARINA extended the phase-out of these types of vessels to five years. This decision would have been okay if there are still no existing operators of steel-hulled vessels in the area but there are. So such move becomes subject to speculations and suspicion in the industry,” expresses Ramirez.

Ramirez is also bewildered how a motorized banca like MB Commando 6 can have a capacity of 130 persons based on the markings on its hull. “I just don’t know how they were able to arrive at with that figure or who evaluated the vessel strength? Did MARINA allow the owner/operator to put the capacity marking on its hull? If so, why did they allow it? The vessel was carrying 57 passengers, way below its supposed 130-person capacity, yet it capsized. So it appears to be overloaded and that it carried more passengers than it should. The questions are who and why was the owner allowed to bloat its boat capacity?” queries the UFS president.

Immediately after the capsizing of MB Commando – 6, MARINA has suspended the operation of all seven motor bancas of Ylagan Shipping Lines, which owns the ill-fated motorized vessel. The seven motorized bancas will be inspected by MARINA thoroughly while they are under suspension.

“That’s the problem with MARINA as well. They only do the inspection after a maritime disaster. Is it not better if inspections are made regularly to ensure that all passenger crafts are in compliance with existing policies on safety? There should be periodic inspections of all domestic passenger vessels and those that were found to be deficient should be given preventive suspension right away pending their compliance,” Ramirez expressed. (end of statement)

One other email I received, stated the following -- "In batangas no inspections are ever done on bancas. the coast guard personnel that will clear the boat to sail receive 20-50 peso from the owners for each passenger that is in excess of the capacity. this is the same for bancas and roro vessels in batangas. the alledged manifest is either doctored or overlooked, this is common practice in batangas. you can see this on any given day in Batangas pier, even more on weekends.

Even worse is the situation in Sabang and White Beach , Puerta Galera, NO ONE monitors how many passengers are loaded into each banca. Its only coincidental that the accident happened from Batngas as the violations are more blatant from PG where there are no Coast Guard staff at all."


In light of what has happenned, the Eugenio's have pledged to start an advocacy for safer sea travel. As Ramon, Franco's father, so poignantly put it in his eulogy today-- "The Philippines is a beautiful country and many of the memories we have associated with Franco come from travelling throughout the country. Travel as my friend Jeff put it is educational and builds memories for many families. We don't want to tell people - don't travel. What we want to say is, "Make travel safer." Whatever steps the Eugenio's will be able to make to ensure that sea travel becomes safer, if they are able to make a dent and at least stop the culture of greed that seems so prevalent in the MARINA and set into place policies that would lessen if not prevent even more accidents from taking place, then Daisy, Franco and Anton's departure would not have been in vain.