The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will implement its service contracting program, or the Lakbay Alalay ng Gobyerno (LAYAG) Program, initially to 12 sea routes beginning Monday, May 25, allowing passengers to receive subsidized fares.
MARINA identified the 12 routes as follows:
1. Batangas City – Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
2. Batangas City – Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
3. Jordan Wharf, Guimaras to Parola Wharf, Iloilo City
4. Buenavista Wharf, Guimaras to Parola Wharf, Iloilo City
5. Sta. Rosa, Olango Island to Angasil, Brgy. Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City
6. Liloan, Santander, Cebu – Sibulan, Negros Oriental
7. Zamboanga City to Basilan
8. Sta. Cruz, Talicud Island – Poblacion Kaputian (all in Island Garden City of Samal)
9. KM11, Sasa Davao City – Villarica, Babak District
10. Surigao, SDN – San Jose, PD
11. Socorro, SDN – Hayanggabon, SDN
12. Socorro, SDN – Dapa, SDN
The list expanded the previously 8 routes covered under MARINA Advisory No. 2026-20, Series of 2026, addressed to all ship and boat operators, on April 24, 2026.
Under its LAYAG Program, MARINA will implement a net service contracting scheme in which passengers will receive fare discounts equivalent to fare increases imposed by ship operators starting February 28, 2026.
The fare subsidy will be computed based on the actual number of passengers carried, as reflected in the passenger manifest, multiplied by the approved fare increase. The subsidy will apply only to economy or regular accommodation fares.
The MARINA advisory said the routes were selected based on several criteria, including travel time of no more than two hours one way, high passenger traffic density, and the absence of alternative modes of transportation.
Earlier, Transportation Secretary Gionvanni Z. Lopez said that PHP200 million of the initial PHP1 billion SCP fund had been allocated for the maritime sector through MARINA.
The fare subsidy under the SCP program is meant to provide financial relief to passengers as ship operators raised their rates due to the high cost of fuel following the Iran war.
