Guangzhou, China – The Philippines, through the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), co-chaired the 5th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on Ferry Safety held from 30 to 31 October 2024.
The workshop, co-chaired by the Philippines, People’s Republic of China, Lao PDR, and Cambodia, provided a platform for ARF member states to share best practices, experiences, and innovative solutions to enhance domestic ferry safety.

Engr. Nannette Z. Villamor-Dinopol, Deputy Administrator for Operations of MARINA, led the Philippine delegation and encouraged active participation among member states. She emphasized the importance of identifying areas for technical cooperation to regional ferry safety standards across the region.

Engr. Divinagracia Tolosa, Officer-in-Charge of the Maritime Safety Service, presented the Philippines’ Country Status Report, highlighting the country’s significant efforts in promoting ferry safety through awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and policy review.

Additionally, Engr. Ernesto Caluza, Division Chief of the NAMED – Shipyard Regulations Service, shared insights into the Philippines’ Concentrated Campaign on Ferry & ROPAX Fleet Safety, bilateral cooperation with France to enhance safety standards and reduce risks.

At the sidelines of the workshop, a bilateral meeting with the Philippines and China Maritime Safety Administration was held on 30 October 2024 to discuss possible capacity-building opportunities for the Philippines’ technical manpower. The Meeting was attended by representatives from MARINA, the Department of Transportation, the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, China, and the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou.

The Philippines also attended the 14th ASEAN-China Maritime Consultation Mechanism (ACMCM) Meeting, 2nd ARF Safety Capacity Building Training, Workshop on Regional E-cert Application and Maritime Single Window implementation, and the 3rd ASEAN-China Seminar on the Implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 which was held from 28 to 31 October 2024.
The Philippine delegation was composed of representatives from MARINA, the Department of Transportation, and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.

View photos here