MARINA seeks legalization of backyard boat building

CEBU, Philippines - The Maritime Industry Authority will come up with a standard that would legalize backyard boat building as a way of supporting the country’s tourism industry.

MARINA administrator Elena Bautista said that under the proposed Philippine Merchant Act, one of the components is the legalization of backyard boat building or the making of banca.

“Practically, the country is surrounded by islands and the tourists wanted to ride a banca especially when they want to go island hopping,” Bautista said.

One of the measures to legalize the operation of boat building is for a banca to have a license plate just like the one on a vehicle.

Bautista said the Act will be submitted to Congress after the Holy Week, hoping that it will be made into law by August.

According to the Philippine Home Boatbuilders Yacht Club - the Philippines’ only virtual yacht club that aims to promote sailing, boating and boat building in the country - the most economical way of going around is through a boat.

The group said that any place in the Philippines is less than five hours away from the coast, adding that the country has affordable and good quality of lumber for building boat. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/LPM