MANILA – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) met with the representatives from Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), led by Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MoTC) Minister Dickson Hermoso – who visited the Agency recently to seek technical cooperation in the field of capacity building, particularly in the area of automation and digitalization and in the formulation of a Regional Maritime Industry Plan of the BARMM.

MARINA OIC Deputy Administrator for Planning Arsenio F. Lingad, II welcomed the representatives from the BARMM on 09 December 2021 and discussed the operational details of the Agency’s Integrated Domestic Shipping Information System (IDSIS) – a web-based application that aims to automate the processing of the eight (8 ) domestic shipping related applications. The MARINA also offered to pilot test the Municipal Fishing Vessel Information System (MFVIS) to accelerate the registration of fishing boats less than 3 gross tonnage for their various municipalities.

The IDSIS aims to improve the data capturing and application processing systems of the MARINA, to provide more efficient services to seafarers and maritime stakeholders. In addition, the IDSIS also automates the filing and processing of different applications related to maritime safety, shipbuilding and ship repair, and domestic shipping.

Aside from discussions regarding the technical assistance, the MARINA also expressed its willingness to provide support for its counterpart MARINA-BARMM, which is currently in its fine-tuning process, particularly in crafting and formulating its own 10-year Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP); training or capacity building for its personnel concerning industry operations; conducting of shipyard and sea route studies specifically for the interisland shipping within the BARMM as well as in the regulation and establishment boat building facilities.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa lahat, kay MARINA Administrator Vice Admiral Empedrad, sampu ng kanyang mga directors. Sana ay hindi kayo magsawa. We are your young brothers in the BARMM. Ang ipinangangako ko, if we can do it right under your tutelage, maipagmamalaki niyo kami. We cannot do it alone without our big brother (MARINA),” Minister Hermoso said, enunciating his appreciation to the MARINA.

The MARINA assured the Transport Minister that the Agency is open to dialogues to further capacity building and cooperation on areas that are mutually beneficial for both the MARINA National Government and the MARINA-BARMM.

MARINA Service unit Directors were also present via video conferencing during the meeting, expressing their support for the overall development of MARINA-BARMM.