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From P720 billion currently, the Philippine maritime industry’s contribution to the economy is projected to double to P1.44 trillion once the Maritime Industry Development Plan is fully implemented in 2028
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MARINA is bullish as it updates the industry roadmap to align it with the 8-point priority economic agenda of the current administration
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The 2019-2028 MIDP is a decade-long roadmap to accelerate the development of a nationally integrated and globally competitive Philippine maritime industry
The Philippine maritime industry’s contribution to the country’s economy is seen to double to P1.44 trillion from P720 billion once the Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) is fully implemented in 2028, according to the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
The 2019-2028 MIDP is a is a decade-long roadmap aimed at accelerating the development of a nationally integrated and globally competitive Philippine maritime industry. The roadmap was launched in 2017, began to be implemented in mid-2019 but was halted by the pandemic. It was updated last year.
The roadmap will again be updated pursuant to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to draft a maritime industry development plan that will grow and enhance the maritime sector and improve ports to attract more cruise ships to the country and boost the tourism industry.
READ: Gov’t drawing up maritime industry development plan
MARINA in a statement said it is currently updating the roadmap to align it with the 8-point priority economic agenda of the current administration.
Recently, MARINA officials met with DOTr Undersecretary for Planning and Project Development Timothy John Batan to discuss the roadmap. Batan gave his assurance that the transport department will help implement the roadmap. MARINA is an attached agency of the DOTr.
Under Presidential Decree No. 474, or the Maritime Industry Decree of 1974, MARINA is tasked to draw up master plans for the industry. The last MARINA drafted a 10-year roadmap was in the 1980s.
The MIDP is envisioned to accelerate and expand domestic shipping services that will render the country’s economic environment more conducive to flourishing of businesses, influx of investments and facilitation of trade within the country; build modern and seaworthy ships through a globally competitive shipbuilding, ship repair and shipbreaking industry; and promote and develop the Philippines as human resource capital for ship management and other maritime services.
The roadmap features 10 priority programs to be implemented until 2028:
- Program 1: Upgrading of domestic shipping in support of the Philippine nautical highway development
- Program 2: Development of shipping services for tourist destination areas
- Program 3: Development of coastal and inland waterways transport systems
- Program 4: Strengthening the safety standards of Philippine-registered fishing vessels
- Program 5: Development of a global maritime hub
- Program 6: Enhancement of maritime safety in the Philippines
- Program 7: Enhancement of maritime transport security in the Philippines
- Program 8: Maritime innovation and knowledge center
- Program 9: Development of competitive and highly skilled Filipino maritime professionals
- Program 10: Implementation of the Philippine Strategy on maritime environment protection
According to the roadmap, there are four causes of the declining competitiveness of the Philippine maritime industry and these are poor quality of sea transport system; low level of shipbuilding and ship repair productivity; unattractiveness of the Philippine ship registry; and decreasing quality of maritime officers.
To be able to effectively address the core problem of the maritime sector and its underlying causes is the key challenge to preparing the MIDP. Hence, MARINA said the following actions are necessary:
- Adopt an integrated approach to development by pooling together the expertise and resources of concerned government agencies, private sector, and civil society towards a common goal for the maritime sector;
- Prioritize government programs that are aligned with Ambisyon Natin 2040, the Philippine Development Plan 2017- 2022, the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and the country’s international commitments in the maritime sector
- Undertake key strategic actions that will strengthen MARINA’s capacity in maritime administration and governance in the first two years of MIDP implementation. – Roumina Pablo
