MARINA deputy chief eyed to head authority

CEBU - Several organizations of shipping operators in Cebu has endorsed lawyer Gloria Victoria-Bañas to be the next administrator of Maritime Industry Authority.

In their letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the United Trampers Association of the Philippines headed by Benson Go, the Philippine Roro Operators Association, Inc. headed by Christopher Pastrana, and the Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators under Arthur Kenneth Sy said that Bañas is a woman of irreproachable integrity and loyalty with unqualified dedication to her duty.

Bañas is currently the deputy administrator for planning of MARINA.

The groups said that if given the opportunity, MARINA as a regulatory government agency will surely become stronger and more responsive to its objectives.

“Her clear understanding of the problems of the industry earned after more than two decades of working with MARINA has given her the best stead to undertake and perform the duties of an administrator. She possesses all the qualifications, academic and professional as well as the experience and expertise for the said position,” the letter reads.

The letter said that in times when MARINA conducts consultations, Bañas has been consultative and her explanation in proposed policies and regulations has been very exhaustive.

“We say she is a service officer and a public servant with compassion and true spirit of mediation and conciliation. She settles for measures beneficial to all concerned,” the letter added.

The groups further said that Bañas has been MARINA’s prime mover in the successful implementation of the inter-agency Strong Republic Nautical Highway, which is a flagship project of President Arroyo.

Aside from being a lawyer, Bañas is a certified public accountant and a Career Executive Service Board passer who had been appointed to the rank of CESO V.

Bañas had also earned a degree in Masters of Science in International Shipping from the University of Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom and finished a professional shipping course from Norwegian Shipping Academy in Oslo, Norway.

She has also attended several local and international seminars on maritime shipping. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/LPM (THE FREEMAN)