PASSENGER empowerment is the recent solution Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has over manpower shortage in enforcing applicable maritime laws.
By empowering, MARINA means allowing passengers themselves to be government sea travel authority partners for ensuring passenger and sea vessel safety.
Marina Administrator Elena Bautista explained that passengers can help prevent overloading or report unruly or unbecoming behavior of seamen on duty; through its Pasa Hero program.
Aside from getting assistance by partnering with vigilant passengers, Bautista said Pasa Hero also addresses Marina’s problems on budget and personnel by finding partners in implementing maritime laws.
Under the Pasa Hero program, passengers can report to Marina violations committed by shipping lines.
Aside from overloading, other violations include drunk shipping officers and absence of lifejackets and directional signs inside ships.
Once reports are validated, passengers are rewarded with P50 worth of cellular phone load from the Marina.
To report, passengers can just text marina_sumbong_name/location/violation/vessel name to 2985. (rachiu/PIA)
