Adopted: 27 July 2015
Date Filed: 11 August 2015
Pursuant to the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 474 and the 2014 Amendments to the Revised Rules and Regulations Implementing RA No. 9295, and to ensure safe, reliable, convenient, and continued public service during Emergency, Holiday Seasons, and Special Occasions, all Philippine-registered liner ships carrying passengers and/or cargoes, the following guidelines shall be strictly observed:

1. During emergency situation, holiday season or special occasion as defined in Annex œA ^[*] which has resulted or is likely to result in the stranding of passengers and/or cargoes, the Director/Officer-in-Charge of the Franchising Service shall act as the Focal Person whenever said situations affect areas falling within the jurisdiction of the MARINA Central Office. When the affected areas are covered by the jurisdiction of the regional offices, the Director/Officer-in-Charge of the concerned regional office shall act as the Focal Person.
   
   
2. The rules on the strict adherence to the CPC-authorized schedule of trips of authorized ship operators of Philippine-registered ships carrying passengers and/or cargoes in the affected area(s)/route(s), shall be lifted only at the instance or upon directive/approval of MARINA. In such case, the following rules shall apply
   
   

   2.1	Ships can immediately depart once their maximum authorized passenger and/or cargo capacities are attained;
   2.2	Upon safe disembarkation of passengers and/or cargoes and approval/ clearance from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and/or Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), whether or not their authorized passenger and/or cargo capacities are attained, ships shall immediately return to the congested/ affected port/s;
   2.3	Ships can increase their sailing frequency; and,
   2.4	In the carriage of passengers and/or cargoes, to strictly observe/adhere to the œFirst-Come, First-Serve  policy, notwithstanding any prior written agreement or arrangement with clients/shippers.

   
   
   
3. The implementation of the above changes/adjustments in ship/s schedule of routes shall be allowed on the condition that such change/amendment/ adjustment shall be subject to written confirmation by MARINA and may be modified/cancelled or revoked at any time for valid cause.
   
   
4. If the shipping service/s in the affected area/s remains insufficient despite the above measures that have been taken, other shipping companies/operators may be authorized to deploy their ships in order to ensure the immediate recovery of areas from the emergency, congestion or similar circumstances.
   
   
5. The Focal Person/s shall closely and properly coordinate with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Local Government Units (LGUs) and other concerned entities.
   
   
6. A daily report shall be submitted to the Administrator, through the Deputy Administrator for Operations (DAO), for information and further instructions.
   
   
7. Once MARINA has determined that the affected area(s)/port(s) has recovered from the emergency, congestion or similar circumstances, the CPC-authorized schedule of trips of the involved ships in the affected areas or route/s shall be observed.
   
   
8. All directives/authority issued by MARINA shall likewise be considered revoke/rescinded as soon as the normalcy in the affected areas/s is achieved and declared.

This Advisory supersedes Flag State Advisory No. 38.

For compliance.

(SGD) MAXIMO Q MEJIA JR. PhD
Administrator

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^[*] Text Available at the Office of the National Administrative Register, U.P. Law Complex, Diliman, Quezon City.