Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Marina to lose some ‘powers’
THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 will be stripped of its authority to issue franchise and certificate of public convenience (CPC) on vessels should Rep. Antonio Cuenco’s bill is approved in Congress this year.
Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) yesterday filed a bill proposing to return the authority of Congress to approve the franchise of shipping firms.
He stressed the need to hold a public hearing before a shipping company gets a franchise to sail its fleet.
So what is left with Marina, Cuenco said, is only to accept and screen the applications for shipping franchise.
Cuenco said he will lobby that his proposal be certified as an urgent bill, as he wanted that this be approved this year.
The Cebuano legislator came up with this legislative measure, which he described as the best way to minimize sea mishap and ensure the safety of the sea-faring public.
He considered his bill the initial outcome of the joint congressional hearing conducted by the House committee on transportation and oversight on the Princess of the Stars tragedy.
Cuenco said the Congress had the sole authority to approve the franchise of shipping firms but this was transferred to Marina in mid 1990s.
Franchise
He recalled that former House speaker Jose de Venecia approved the proposal clothing Marina with the power to issue franchise and CPC in 1995.
In a related report, Cuenco and Reps. Roque Ablan Jr. and Victor Francisco Ortega were scheduled to leave for Japan yesterday to get first-hand information on the building of Japan-made vessels.
Cuenco, House committee chairman on foreign affairs, said his committee wants to know the risks of altering the vessel’s structure. (GC)
