New administrator overhauls Marina

New Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Dr. Marcial Quirico Amaro III (PhD) announced yesterday the appointment of Captain Alfredo V. Vidal as Marina’s new deputy administrator for operations (DAO), Atty. Prime Siosana as deputy administrator for planning (DAP), and Atty. Vera Joy Ban-eg as chief of staff.

Vidal and Siosana replaced Atty. Gloria Victoria-Banas and Atty. Bashsiruddin Adil, respectively, while Baneg replaced Atty. Jabeth Sena A. Dacanay.

Replacements and assignments in other major positions will be announced soon, but within the first 100 days in office of Administrator Amaro, it was reported.

A licensed chief marine engineer, and a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in management , with vast experience in ship management, maritime education and training, the new Marina chief has embarked on ‘house cleaning’ of the entire agency from the time he assumed in the government office last July 18, when Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr. turned over to him the reins of Marina.

Amaro, the Philippines‘ 2003 ‘Most Outstanding Seafarer of the Year’ awardee during the 8th National Seafarer’s Day celebration, is not a new comer in the maritime industry. Prior to his post in Marina, he was vice president of Chelsea Ship Management and Marne Services Corp.; operations manager, Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC), Inc.; consultant, IMO; worked with PRC, TESDA, Petro Bataan Refinery; Petro Corp.; and Anglo-Japanese- American Register, Inc., among other entities.

An assessor and lead auditor, he also worked with Lloyd’s Regular Assurance as industry expert assessor and auditor for quality management systems ISO 900 and environment. As consultant of Petron Bataan Refinery, he conducted ‘vessel safety inspection’, ‘ship- to-shore safety and similar other courses on safety to all personnel involved in oil movement and storage, as well as marine termination operations, He was also surveyor and accident investigator, and the first in the Philippines to be granted a DnV certificate of competence for ship superintendent. Likewise, he also hurdled a UK national examination board examination for occupational safety and health (NEBOSH) certification.