Siaton: Around 60 fishing boat operators and crew from the 3rd district of Negros Oriental availed of the government's mobile registration on Tuesday in Siaton town. The mobile registration, conducted by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), in collaboration with the Philippine Coast Guard and provincial and local officials, will run until Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Sarah Timtim Barcelon, chief officer of MARINA-Negros Oriental, highlighted that the joint activity will reduce the travel costs of their clients transacting in this capital city or Cebu province to obtain licenses and permits. She noted that previously, it could take months for operators to get a MARINA certification or license, as processing was handled by the regional office. "The objective here is to cater to our clients in this one-stop shop. The mobile registration includes boat owners, captains, and crew so their fishing operations will be legal," Barcelon stated.
The NTC conducted a seminar on the use of very high frequency (VHF) radios for vessels and on basic safety training for boat crew, a requirement when securing a MARINA license. Liezl Torres, president of the Siaton Fishing Association, with 25 members, expressed gratitude towards the Marcos administration for enabling the joint mobile registration, a significant support for the fishing communities. She also acknowledged the assistance of Rep. Janice Degamo of the 3rd District and Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria in facilitating the activity.
Many of those present on the first day were from Basay, the southernmost town of Negros Oriental. Barcelon anticipates more applicants in the coming days and announced that licenses, permits, and other documents will be released on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Commodore Christopher Auro, commander of the Coast Guard District Southern Visayas, which covers the Negros Island Region provinces, stated that they are strictly implementing the 'no sail' policy for sea vessels that are undocumented or lack the necessary papers. Auro emphasized that this policy applies not only to fishing vessels but also to recreational boats and passenger and cargo ships. He added that they will prevent any ship found to be overloaded from departing, following a recent incident where a passenger ship allegedly sold tickets beyond its allowed capacity.
