Press Release
May 26, 2009

A Season Of Maritime Disasters,A Season Of Finger Pointing

Senator Rodolfo G Biazon today said the incident of the sinking of the passenger boat MB Commando 6 that plies the Batangas - Puerto Galera route resulting to the death of 12 is again leading to a finger pointing among the government agencies that has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of life at sea (SOLAS).

"In this maritime country of ours, the distribution of authority, tasks and responsibility among the agencies of the MARINA, Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Ports Authority under the DOTC has been so muddled up which probably resulted in the unnecessary loss of lives in the past and in the present."

Biazon said an unclear definition of authority and responsibility is a result of the continuing transfer of the same specially between the Philippine Coast Guard and the MARINA.

"These authorities and responsibilities had been the subject of constantly changing Memorandums of Agreements (MOAS) between the Philippine Coast Guard and MARINA so that a definition of responsibilities can not be defined."

"I have filed several bills such as the creation of a National Transport Safety Board, Maritime Code of the Philippines, Creation of Admiralty Courts, Maritime Administration Act all of which have remained pending in several Congresses already."

"I would recommend to the President that these bills be certified so that we can provide a clear structure, policies and delineation of authorities and responsibilities among these different agencies tasked to ensure safety of lives at sea, land and air transport."

"If all of these maritime bills are enacted into laws, the loss of lives in incidents of transport disasters could be minimized, " Biazon concluded.

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