The deputy administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority, Engr. Nannete Villamor-Dinopol, is now the officer-in-charge of the agency following the release of a special order on Thursday by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

Based on the Special Order 2023-430, Dinopol will be the administrator-OIC by order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., until a new administrator is duly appointed by the President.

Dinopol's appointment comes after Atty. Hernani Fabia resigned from his post recently.

"In the exigency and best interest of the service, she shall perform and discharge the functions and responsibilities pertaining the position, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations," the order, obtained by the DAILY TRIBUNE, read.

"Moreover, she shall be entitled to all benefits and allowances accruing to the designation, except the basic salary, subject to existing budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations," added the order signed by Bautista.

Before she was appointed as OIC, Dinopol was the Deputy Administrator for Operations of Marina, the second in command.

To recall, Fabia's appointment last year was hit by some maritime groups due to a conflict of interest, as Fabia owns and operates PNTC Colleges and Maritime Training Center, which was founded by Fabia on 18 April 1994.

But Fabia refuted it and said he had already divested from the company as he took the helm as the Marina administrator.

He once again became controversial when he implemented the Management Level Course for Deck and Engine Officers.

The MLC has been hit by manning agency owners as an added burden to seafarer officers because aside from its skyrocketing price that starts from P45,000 and staggering 40 days of completion, it is marred with controversies, as seafarers can even avail of the said training course even if they will not attend it, "if the price is right" by some erring training schools.