The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), through its Shipyards Regulation Service (SRS), met with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – Philippines and WWF-Norway on 11 October 2022 at the MARINA Central Office.
MARINA Deputy Administrator for Operations Engr. Nanette Villamor-Dinopol and Ms. Czarina Constantino – Panopio of the WWF-Philippines spearheaded the meeting, which is an important part of the project of WWF with Grieg Group entitled “Clean Ports, Clean Oceans: Improving port waste management in the Philippines.”
The topics discussed during the meeting revolved around the expansion of partnership between the MARINA and the WWF on Ship and Port Waste Management to different shipyards in the country.
The said meeting was also attended by SRS Director Engr. Ramon Hernandez, other MARINA personnel and the delegates from WWF including WWF-Norway Executive Director Karoline Andaur, and WWF-Norway Senior Advisor Emeline Pluchon.
The WWF delegates were also formally welcomed by Office of the Administrator Chief of Staff Atty. Jabeth Dacanay.
Few hours after the meeting, designated MARINA personnel accompanied the WWF delegates to the Josefa Slipways Inc. and Nautilus Shipyard & Repair Inc. in Navotas City to learn more about the shipyards and their challenges relating to the solid waste management.
The said meeting and shipyard visit in Navotas City were expected to be significant factors in strengthening the partnership between the MARINA and WWF-Philippines.
It can also be recalled that the MARINA and the WWF-Philippines forged a partnership, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), during the Second Marine Environment Protection Forum held at the Midas Hotel in Pasay City on 23 September 2022.
The purpose of the MoU is for the MARINA and WWF-Philippines to work together, with the help of other government organizations and private stakeholders, to strengthen the policies and programs with the shared goal of reducing plastic pollution by preventing plastic leakage into ports and the ocean, which negatively impacts marine life, human health, and livelihoods.
The National Strategic Action Plan on Marine Plastic Litter, as well as the communication materials for ships and ports, were also launched on the day of the MoU signing.
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