Marina finalizing 10-year projects

MANILA, Philippines — The  Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is finalizing its priority programs and projects under its 10-year Maritime Industry Development Program (MIDP), a major component of the agency’s 14-point agenda for 2018.

In a statement posted on its website, MARINA planning and policy service (PPS) director Emmanuel Carpio said the MIDP is intended to provide leadership in transforming the Philippines into a major maritime nation. 

Carpio said the formulation of the MIDP is pursuant to Presidential Decree 474, which created the agency.

“While it may be true that we do have plans in the past, those are either short or indefinite plans that do not sufficiently reflect the mandate of the MARINA as maritime administration. As part of it, we have to commit and adhere by its mandate pursuant to the objectives of its creation, which is to prepare and annually update a 10-year maritime industry development program that contains a rational and integrated development of the maritime industry,” Carpio said.

The agency’s technical working groups reviewed the programs and projects, which focus on the planned establishment of a maritime industrial hub, the MARINA’s role in the development of the Philippine nautical system as well as the country’s coastal and inland waterways, fishing, maritime tourism, maritime safety, maritime security and maritime information and communication.

The MARINA-PPS will present to the agency’s officials the draft MIDP primer for further refinement next week.