Processing center for seamen to be set up in Cebu — Marina

Gov. Hilario Davide III (right) with Marina-7 Administrator Maximo Mejia (left) and Rep. Jesulito Manalo show the memorandum of agreement for the project. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Securing documents will soon be more convenient for seafarers once a regional processing center, the first one in Central Visayas, will rise in Cebu.

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) last Thursday signed a a contract of usufruct with the Capitol for the development of a 2,000-sq. m. province-owned lot in sitio Sudlon, barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

Around P65 million was secured from the national budget through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to build  the Marina regional processing center.

Angkla Party List Rep. Jesulito Manalo, who helped secure the funds for the project, said he envisioned helping decentralize services provided by Marina through the construction of regional processing centers in various parts of the country since the Single Maritime Administration Law was passed.

“The apparent difficulty of seafarers to go to Manila to apply for their Seafarer’s Identification Record Book and other certification requirements led me to think of the best solution to this problem,” he said.

He was referring to having Marina’s processing centers in the regions.

Manalo said a regional processing center in Cebu will help save time, energy, and money for Cebuano and other Visayan maritime professionals.

He said since seafarers won’t have to travel far to process their papers, they can save on transportation costs and have more time for their families.

To date, there have been 100,000 seafarer’s identification record books applied for and issued in Cebu in the last four years.

There are also seven maritime schools in the province providing 20,000 BS Marine Transportation and Marine Engineering graduates each year as well as 12 maritime training institutions offering enhanced support-level programs.

He also cited the large population of Cebu’s seafaring community highlighted by the 3,000 domestic vessels registered in the province to justify the project.

Another factor Manalo cited to justify the project is the province’s strategic location, where one of the biggest shipbuilders in the country is based.

The new Marina regional center, he said, is expected to facilitate services provided to stakeholders in the maritime sector in Cebu.

He said this can serve as “a catalyst for Cebu’s development to eventually become one of the biggest maritime hubs in the country.”

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III expressed his thanks to Marina and Representative Manalo and  said that the lot the province was lending was its “little contribution” to the maritime industry.

Davide said that under the contract, the building will be constructed within one year.

Hopefully, by the first quarter of 2016, he said they will be able to break ground.