Gov’t confident as IMSA audit starts

The International Maritime Organization, or IMO, started its Member State Audit Scheme or IMSAS from 2 to 9 October 2023, to scrutinize the Philippines' implementation and enforcement of treaty instruments.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista has guaranteed that the country has fully complied with international maritime conventions.

A statement of the Department of Transportation, the mother agency of the Maritime Industry Authority that is preparing for this year's IMSAS, said Bautista ensured that the Philippines had upheld maritime safety and protection of the marine environment by adhering to international rules and regulations.

"I affirm our commitment to ensure the safety of life and property at sea and prevention of maritime pollution through full and effective implementation and enforcement of all laws, regulations, and recommendations, in adherence to our international responsibilities and obligations," Bautista told IMO auditors during the kick-off of the IMSAS audit.

Adhering to global norms

Bautista said that through the audit, which assists member-states in improving their capacity for implementing international conventions, the Philippines promotes uniformity and effectiveness in the implementation of IMO instruments.

"Having these mechanisms, we were able to champion our legislative agenda and ensure the continuous advancement of maritime interest in the country," Bautista said.

According to the Marina, the audit, conducted by three experienced IMO auditors, is conducted in accordance with the Memorandum of Cooperation  signed between the Philippines and the IMO.

This cooperation encompasses a series of vital IMO instruments, including SOLAS 1974, SOLAS PROT 1988, MARPOL 73/78, MARPOL PROTOCOL 1997, STCW 1978, LOAD LINES 1966, LOAD LINE PROT 1988, TONNAGE 1969, and COLREG 1972.

IMSAS primary focus lies in assessing several key areas — Compliance with Audit Standards: Evaluating the extent to which the Philippines adheres to audit standards and the overall strategy; Legislation Enactment: Reviewing the enactment of legislation related to safety and environmental aspects associated with ratified IMO instruments; Administration and Implementation: Scrutinizing the administration, implementation, and enforcement of applicable laws and legislation; and Performance Evaluation: Assessing the performance concerning the implementation and enforcement of ratified IMO instruments in the roles of flag, port and coastal State.

Originally, the IMSAS was set for 2020 to 2021, but since a state of emergency was still in effect due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was rescheduled to 2022 to 2023.

To prepare for the audit, Marina and the IMSAS Technical Working Group, and other concerned maritime stakeholders conducted gap analysis scoping exercises, inter-agency meetings, mock audits, and capacity-building activities in preparation for this year's audit.