Stakeholders back Angkla’s third term in Congress
STAKEHOLDERS in the maritime industry on Tuesday showed full support to Angkla party list to ensure its reelection this May, to be able to continue the maritime legislative agenda that would take the maritime industry to where it ought to be.
Maritime and naval stakeholders converged at the first meeting of Angkla Rep. Jesulito “Jess” Manalo, who is seeking for his third term in Congress.
Engr. Samuel Lim of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Inc. (Soname) said since Angkla made the representation in Congress, it had fulfilled its commitment to the maritime industry, and still, much was needed to make the country a globally competitive maritime nation.
He said Angkla’s achievements included the passage of Republic Act 10698 or Naval Architecture Modernization Law that further develops shipbuilding and ship repair in the Philippines.
Angkla has passed the naval architecture law to ensure that we produce the ship builders of the future, he said.
Philippine Register of Shipping (PRS) Chairman Roberto Umali said with the help of Manalo, who is espousing House Bill ( HB) 460 on single classification society, there would be common standards on maritime safety and would level the playing field. He said with one class society, there would be one standard of safety for all.
Rep. Manalo, who always
introduce himself as a son of a ship captain, with legal expertise and experience related to maritime, vowed to continue serving as the voice of the Philippine seafaring industry.
His aspiration is to have more world class vessels built by world class Filipino shipbuilders, manned by world class Filipino crew, registered in the Philippine shipping registry, operated by Philippine ship management companies, and eventually, owned by Filipinos.
Manalo targeted to pass four maritime bills into laws, when he took his third and last seat in congress.
These are House Bill (HB) 460 that will establish a single classification society to improve maritime safety; HB 6519, The
OFW Sovereign Fund; HB 1029, an act establishing the scope and procedure for Philippine Ship Registry, and adherence to international protocols or the HB 456.
The Philippines is a State Party to five safety conventions which this law seeks to implement: The international Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS 74); The International Convention for the Prevention and Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78); The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (COLREGS) and, The International Convention on the Tonnage Measurement of Ships 1969 (Tonnage).
For many, Rep. Manalo is regarded as an established advocate of policy reforms vital
to the growth of the maritime sector and all its stakeholders. He is a true visionary leader whose passion to search for solutions and serve the good of more people has ushered in a realized and profound importance of the Philippine maritime industry in our nation and in the world.
Stakeholders also pushed that Angkla would have another seat, with the election of Capt. Ronald Enrile.
Other stakeholders who attended Angkla’s first meeting were Philippine Interisland Shipping Association Executive Director Peter Aguilar; Shipyard Association of the Philippines (SHAP) President Meneleo Carlos 3rd; SHAP President Vicente Pono and Tsuneishi Representative Dionne Suazo.