MARINA officials face raps over LCT passenger clearance

Officials of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) are facing complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly violating the Anti-Graft Law (Republic Act 3019), the Code of Conduct for Public Officials (RA 6713), and the Domestic Shipping Act (RA 9295) over the approval of Landing Craft Tank (LCT) barges to carry passengers.

The issue stems from a complaint filed by the Philippine Interisland Shipping Association (PISA), which claims MARINA issued an advisory allowing cargo-type LCT barges to operate as passenger ships.

The complainant said the questioned advisory, issued in February 2025, legalized the continued operation of dozens of LCT barges even though existing laws and maritime regulations prohibit cargo vessels from being converted into passenger carriers.

PISA stressed that LCTs were never designed to carry people and are primarily used for hauling heavy equipment, minerals, and construction materials.

“LCT barges are never engineered nor structured for the safe transport of passengers,” PISA stated in its complaint dated Sept. 5, 2025. The association warned that allowing these barges to carry passengers undermines safety standards under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and MARINA's own circulars.

PISA also alleged that the advisory contradicted Republic Act 9295, which mandates MARINA to regulate domestic shipping and encourage investments in safe and modern RoRo passenger vessels.

According to the complaint, the signed advisory differed significantly from the draft previously presented to MARINA’s board and allegedly singled out a class of LCT operators for exemption from established regulations.

“The signed Advisory legitimizes and encourages the proliferation of LCT barges to carry passengers, whether paying or not, under the pretense of compliance, when in truth, it undermines safety, distorts competition, and discourages continued investment in modern and compliant RoRo passenger vessels,” the complaint read.

The group argued that the move unfairly favored non-compliant LCT operators while penalizing legitimate RoRo companies that invested heavily to meet safety standards. PISA listed 52 LCT vessels currently operating as passenger carriers under what it claims are irregular circumstances.

PISA is asking the Ombudsman to investigate MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan and other officials who allegedly pushed for the implementation of the questioned advisory.