Walk the talk, please

DURING the first quarter of -

this archipelago to solicit and collate information regarding the

been noted in the safety record of ferry operations in the Philippines. Working under the FerrySafe projon the heels of a maritime safety conference being held in Manila. No one disputes safety of domestic ferries in this archipelago should be routes are hardly discussed until a marine casualty happens.

One can easily agree that maritime transport in this country has considerably improved with the introduction of modern and technologically advanced ships — ships offer more comfort and at conveniently acceptable speed. Are these ships operated and maintained to ensure seaworthiness is a question

- cluding the crew must still need to answer. The levels of response will vary according to the role and responsibilities each of them would assume.

Government includes those involved in policy-making and rulemaking activities and more importantly those who take the task of implementing maritime safety

-

times of preserving the integrity of every task undertaken. Shipowners and managers should be mindful of their bounden duty to ensure

- ment expected of anyone operating a public transport utility. Crew responsibility probably not pursued or continued — because these were beyond the understanding of the incoming of

adopted by the past administration. Or integrity of implementation may have been compromised? Or is it simply the failure to understand the basics of maritime safety?

At the maritime safety confer

solutions and promises may have been made. The challenge to all