MANILA — Fifty-two years is more than a milestone for MARINA—it is a record of steady work in regulating an industry that keeps the country connected, powered by employees whose service often unfolds far from public view.
This was the tone that defined the Maritime Industry Authority’s (MARINA) 52nd founding anniversary celebration on June 1, where the agency placed its workforce at the center of recognition, honoring leaders, offices, and personnel who have contributed to strengthening the country’s maritime sector.
Anchored on the theme “Serving Better, Sailing Safer,” the event highlighted excellence across the organization—from directors and regional offices to technical staff and long-serving employees whose work sustains maritime governance.
𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
At the forefront of the celebration were the Best Director Awards, which recognized outstanding leadership based on 2025 performance evaluations, peer assessment, top management review, and extraordinary contributions.
In the 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 category, 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚 was named 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫, followed by 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐄𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐚 𝐀. 𝐂𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐮𝐦-𝐁𝐨𝐜𝐨 of the Legal Service as first runner-up and 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐫. 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳 of the Overseas Shipping Service as second runner-up.
In the 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐬, recognized for her stint as director of MARINA Regional Office VII, was named 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫. 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐉𝐫. of MRO IV and 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐥 of MRO I and II were named first and second runners-up, respectively.
𝐓𝐨𝐩-𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝
Institutional excellence was likewise highlighted through the Best Organizational Unit Awards.
𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐈𝐈 was named 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 for its strong performance in safety caravans, seafarer training initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and partnership-building efforts, on top of its regulatory and supervisory functions.
Meanwhile, the 𝐒𝐓𝐂𝐖 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 was once again named 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭, marking its third consecutive win and underscoring its sustained performance and completion of policies, standards, regulations, projects and activities for the promotion and development outcomes relating to education, training and certification of Filipino seafarers.
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞
Beyond senior leadership, MARINA also honored employees through the 𝐆𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐨, which recognized personnel across job order, contract of service, and plantilla positions for exemplary performance, innovation, punctuality, and professional conduct.
This year’s awardees were:
- Senior/Managerial Category: 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐢𝐥 (Chief Administrative Officer, Management, Financial, and Administrative Service)
- Second-Level Category: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐨 (Maritime Industry Development Specialist II, MRO IV);
- First-Level Category: 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 (Administrative Aide VI, MRO IV)
- Contract of Service Category: 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐝𝐨 (Administrative Officer V/Human Resource Management Officer III, Management, Financial, and Administrative Service)
- Job Order Category: 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚 (Administrative Aide VI, MRO IX)
Special Awards
Special awards were likewise given to individuals who demonstrated distinction in specialized fields, including craftsmanship, facilities management, public communication, and international maritime leadership.
- Global Maritime Leadership Award: 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐨, Maritime Attache
- Exemplary Communicator Award: Spokesperson/ Enforcement Service Director 𝐋𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐬
- Building Operations Award: 𝐌𝐫. 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐚, Chief of General Services Division (GSD)
- Master Craftsman Award: 𝐌𝐫. 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨, Carpenter Foreman, GSD
A posthumous award was also conferred on the late 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐄𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞, former Officer-in-Charge of MARINA Regional Office XI, in recognition of his service to the agency.
𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
The recognition of top leaders and offices underscored MARINA’s continuing effort to institutionalize performance, accountability, and service excellence across its organization.
As MARINA marked its 52nd year, the agency reaffirmed its direction toward a safer, more efficient, and globally competitive maritime sector—anchored on strong leadership and high-performing institutions.
