PSB scores Marina over revised memo circular

The Philippine Shippers Bureau(PSB) lambasted the Maritime Industtry Authority (Marina) for approving the shipowners' petition to revise momorandum circular 117 which provides for the deregulation of the domestic shipping industry.

PSB's director Clemente Paylanco considered Marina's decision as "only favorable to the shipowners" after the Marina Executive Board repealed MC 117 by issuing memorandum circular 153.

According to Mr. Paylangco despite their strong opposition along with the members of the Distribution Management Association of the Philippines (DMAP) the agency had been deaf to their appeal.

"We fought hard against that because we want to continue the Doscon (Domestic Shipping Consultative Council-- which emobies one of the provisions of MC 117-- giving the shippers a chance to air their side for or against any petitions for rate increases) and despite the opposition of DMAP and the private sector, Marina approved the revision," Paylangco said.

However, Marina claimed that their decision is not biased stating that the main purpose of the revision is practically "to create an investment climate designed to attract more new players in the domestic shipping industry under the environment of free market competition and to foster the deregulation of domestic shipping by way of lesser government intervention."