There will be no expansion of the 33 shipping firms and operators that participated in the current Service Contracting Program (SCP) or the fare subsidy program for the maritime sector, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said.
At today’s official launch of the SCP for the maritime sector dubbed “Lakbay Alalay ng Gobyerno,” MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan said the PHP200-million budget is limited to the participants for the two-week duration of the program.
“The budget is small to be flexible,” said Malaluan.
All the 33 shipping firms, with 93 passenger vessels plying the routes, have signed the service agreements and issued eligibility by the MARINA. As program participants, shipping operators will give discounts to the passengers. In turn, MARINA will reimburse the shipping firms for the discounts given to passengers. MARINA has also estimated a total of 1,157,930 commuters to benefit from the program including daily travelers, workers and employees, students and residents of island communities.
According to MARINA, the fare subsidy to the passengers is computed based on the number of actual passengers carried as reflected in the passenger manifest multiplied by the fare increase. The fare increase shall be the difference between the fare rates as of February 28, 2028 and the adjusted rate as prescribed in the applicable MARINA Advisory.
The fare discount is estimated at PHP195 savings per passenger depending on the route.
Payment of fare subsidy to the ship operators shall be made in two tranches and after submission of complete documents and validation by concerned MARINA personnel. The first payment will be given a week after the program’s implementation and the second or last payment after the completion of the program.
The accredited 33 shipping firms are plying the following short routes. These are:
Batangas City – Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro v.v.;
Batangas City – Calapan, Oriental Mindoro v.v.;
Iloilo City – Jordan, Guimaras v.v.; Iloilo City – Buenavista, Guimaras v.v.; Lapu-Lapu City – Sta. Rosa, Olango Island v.v.;
Liloan, Santander, Cebu – Sibulan, Negros Oriental v.v.;
Zamboanga City – Basilan v.v.; Sta. Cruz, Talicud Island – Poblacion Kaputian (all in IGACOS) v.v.; Km. 11, Sasa, Davao City – Villarica, Babak District, Island Garden City of Samal v.v.; Kinawitnon, Babak, IGACOS to Davao Wessjay Development Corp., Km. 11,Sasa, Davao City v.v. Kudos Port, Km13, Panacan, Davao City to Babak, Island Garden City of Samal v.v.; Surigao City, SDN – San Jose, Province of Dinagat Island v.v.; Socorro, SDN – Hayanggabon, SDN v.v.; and
Socorro, SDN – Dapa, SDN v.v.
