The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has sought the help of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to secure more investments in the country’s ship building and ship repair (SBSR) sector and sustain the Philippines global position as shipbuilding nation.
Administrator Sonia Malaluan along with other MARINA officials held a meeting with OECD Deputy-Secretary General Yasushi Masaki and OECD Head of Division Alexander Böhmer on officials at their Central Office on June 23, 2026 to discuss continuing collaborations in shipbuilding and ship repair, ship recycling and ship breaking, as well as to align existing efforts in sustaining the global position of the Philippines as one of the leading shipbuilding nations.
During the meeting, Administrator Malaluan highlighted that Philippines needs more investors, as well as the transfer of technology to further improve the industry’s situation as a whole.
Improving the SBSR sector is one of the agency’s priority agenda. She mentioned MARINA’s legislative efforts in the 20th Congress focusing on SBSR development.
The Administrator recognized the vital inputs from the Philippine SBSR Industry Peer Review by the OECD especially during the crafting of the SBSR Development Bill.
For his part, OECD Deputy-Secretary General Yasushi Masaki welcomed the developments related to the peer review such as the aforementioned lobbying of the SBSR Development Bill. OECD is looking forward to the results of the ongoing dialogue with Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines.
In 2024, the Philippines made history with the OECD peer review in the SBSR industry, which is the first-ever review for a non-OECD member.
