Acts as the central evaluating office in the exercise of the Authority’s quasi-judicial functions over all public water transportation services, in cases falling within its jurisdiction;
Performs the administrative, supervisory and regulatory function over water transport services as mandated under EO 125, as amended, and RA 9295 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and its subsequent amendments, relative to franchising of ships in the domestic shipping;
Issues Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC)/Provisional Authority (PA)/Special Permit (SP) or any extensions/renewals or amendments thereto, authorizing the operation of all kinds, classes and types of ships in domestic shipping, where applicable, and other related quasi-judicial issuances;
Conducts hearing of applications for CPC, sale and transfer of ships, and exemption from securing CPC, relative to the quasi-judicial functions of MARINA;
Issues Orders modifying, suspending or revoking at any time, upon notice and hearing, any certificate or any authority to operate it may have issued to any domestic shipowner/operator;
Issues Orders/letter-directives requiring any domestic shipowner/operator to provide shipping services to any Costal area, island or region in the country, where such services are necessary for the development of the area, to meet emergency sealift requirements, or when public interests so requires;
Issues Decisions authorizing the sale and transfer of ships;
Issues exemption certificates to ships expressly exempted by law or exclusively for company use, upon notice and hearing or as the case maybe;
Ensures that all domestic shipowners/operators shall have financial capacity to provide and sustain safe, reliable, efficient and economical passenger or cargo service, or both, as part of the qualification requirements in the issuance of CPC or any authority to operate;
Evaluates, validates and monitors the financial standing and tax payments capabilities of the domestic shipping industry players, in coordination with the concerned Units of the Authority and the MARINA regional Offices, and, if necessary, inspect books and records of domestic shipowners/operators to ensure the maintenance and sustenance of their operations/services in the domestic trade and for purposes of granting/issuance of CPC;
Initiates intervention procedures/proceedings, if warranted;
Hears and adjudicates any complaint made in writing involving any violation of the terms and conditions of the Certificate of Public Convenience and other relevant laws or rules and regulations of the Authority;
Upon notice and hearing, imposes such fines, suspends or revokes CPC or other licenses issued, or otherwise penalizes any shipowner/operator found violating the provisions of RA 9295 and its IRR and subsequent amendments;
Coordinates with other MARINA units, the private sector, other regulatory agencies of the government, including local government units and NGOs, to insure the efficient and safe delivery of public water transportation services throughout the country;
Keeps all records/papers/documents of its issued Certificates of Public Convenience (CPC), Provisional Authority (PA) or Special Permits (SP) or other authorizations, orders, rulings or decision of Management and of the Board in the exercise of its quasi-judicial functions;
Operationalizes and maintains its own database on CPC/PA/SP issued;
Maintains a system of monitoring compliance with the provisions, terms and conditions of CPC;
Recommends the adoption, review and updating of the rules and regulations necessary to implement the relevant provisions of RA 9295 and its IRR and subsequent amendments;
Monitors the submission of Annual Report of Operations and Finances of all CPC grantees and undertakes evaluation and analysis thereof to determine continuing compliance with the financial capability requirement in the issuance of CPC in accordance with prescribed financial ratios/industry benchmarks;
Monitors the quarterly submission of actual rates charged by concerned CPC grantees;
Formulates/Reviews policies/guidelines, rules and regulations governing the operation of public water transportation services to determine their responsiveness and effectiveness to the developmental/promotional objectives of the interisland shipping industry;
Provides the MARINA Board with agenda materials relative to quasi-judicial application/cases;
Issues letters and communications relative to quasi-judicial matters; and,
Performs such other functions as may be assigned by higher authorities.
