Marina reports nearly 800 maritime accidents from 2018 to 2022

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 12) — The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) reported 782 maritime accidents from 2018 to 2022 during the Senate budget hearing for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday.

Marina Administrator Hernani Nieves Fabia admitted that this was alarming.

"We are trying to educate the vessel owners like for example, maritime safety summit — we're going to have a maritime safety summit, we review our policy on that, and the most important, 'yong batas ng (the law)creating MARINA is 1974, so we might revisit [and] request for a sort of amendment to the PD (Presidential Decree) 474," he said.

The 2022 annual statistical report of Marina said 115 accidents that year involved grounding, engine failure, allision, fire/explosion, capsizing, collision, steering failure, swamping/flooding, sinking, man overboard, hull failure, damage to port and structure, heavy weather damage, occupational accident, a listing, and an anchor dragging.

Of these, 13 were classifed as very serious accidents, 90 were serious, while 12 were less serious. Among the regional offices of the agency, Marina Regional Office IV (MRO 4) in Batangas City reported the highest number of accidents at 35.

"Walang teeth 'yong aming policy," Fabia pointed out in the briefing.

[Translation: Our policies don't have teeth]

Senator Joel Villanueva asked Marina to submit to the Senate committee its course of action to prevent further maritime accidents.

On Aug. 5, a passenger died after a motorbanca carrying over 90 people partially sank in the waters off Corcuera, Romblon.

On July 27, at least 26 people drowned after a motorbanca sank in the vicinity of Talim Island in Binangonan, Rizal.

While on May 22, twenty-five passengers suffered minor injuries after a vessel collision in the vicinity waters off Mandaue City, Cebu.