Arroyo wants maritime security law

CEBU CITY — President Arroyo has ordered the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) to craft a national maritime security law equivalent to the US Transportation Security Act on Homeland Security.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza has assured 90 percent compliance for ships and port facilities in time for the June 30 deadline.

Mendoza said starting today, auditors will be dispatched to various ports in the country for simultaneous audits.

The OTS completed the training of the auditors last week, he added.

On the other hand, Transportation Undersecretary Cecilio Penilla, Office of Transportation Security chief, said the Philippines will only get "substantial," not full compliance with the International Ship and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code by the worldwide compliance deadline on July 1.

"Definitely, we’ll have substantial compliance," he said in an interview.

Penilla said the reason for the failure to get full compliance was that a number of private and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)-controlled ports were still found to have security plans and measures needing "refinements" with the deadline already due next week.

"May mga nakita kaming security plans that need refinements," he said.

Penilla declined to identify the erring PPA and private ports.

However, Lt. Col. Francisco Taccad, an OTS consultant, said of the 165 Philippine-registered ships sailing worldwide, less than half or only 78 have been issued International Ship Security Certificates.

The ISSC is proof that a ship is ISPS compliant.

Mrs. Arroyo announced here Monday night the country’s readiness to comply with global maritime security requirements, shaking off jitters and fears from businessmen, exporters and stakeholders of a looming economic collapse that would have come with non-compliance. — Freeman News Service, Rainier Allan Ronda