CEBU CITY—The Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association Inc. (PCSA) met with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) board on Jan. 27, 2026 to demand a review of “anti-poor” licensing rules and stiffer financial penalties that the group claims are crippling the domestic maritime sector.
The meeting at the Radisson Blu Hotel marked the first time the MARINA board convened in Cebu to address the concerns of local ship owners.
PCSA chairman Lucio Lim said the discussions focused on a severe shortage of qualified seafarers caused by stringent educational requirements imposed 15 years ago.
The group said that domestic shipping roles should value years of practical experience over formal college degrees, noting that international standards allow for more flexibility than current Philippine rules.
The shortage has been exacerbated by the impact of recent vessel accidents and the subsequent suspension of firms like Alesson Shipping Company.
Lim said 90 percent of maritime accidents result from human error and that existing penalties under decades-old memorandum circulars, such as MC-109 from 1995, need to be amended to create a “win-win solution” for the industry.
MARINA is proposing a new schedule of increased fines to bolster safety compliance. Under the proposal, companies could face charges ranging from P100 to P16,000 based on a vessel’s gross register tonnage for operating without proper licenses.
More severe violations, such as the falsification of documents or operating without insurance, could trigger fines of P200,000 and P300,000 respectively. PCSA members expressed concern that these rising costs, coupled with unauthorized route penalties of up to P2,000 per day, result in unsustainable financial losses.
To resolve the conflict between international conventions and local needs, PCSA is advocating for a governance reform that would split MARINA into two distinct entities: one to manage international shipping and another dedicated to the domestic sector.
Lim said this would allow for more practical “competency mapping” that reflects real-world maritime operations without requiring every officer to be a college graduate.
Department of Transportation acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez cited the government’s commitment to maritime security and disaster response during his keynote address.
Lopez vowed to support the modernization of Philippine Coast Guard assets and provide the policy measures necessary to fulfill safety missions.
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said a collective Visayas-wide voice is crucial for the industry to move forward. The PCSA concluded the meeting by requesting that the MARINA board provide a line-by-line review of administrative fines and licensing rules to ensure the survival of the domestic fleet.
