TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
T ■:;7
SENATE
Senate Bill No.
297
Introduced by SENATOR JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI
AN ACT
MANDATING SHIPOWNERS, SHIP CREW, AND CONCERNED GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES TO PROVIDE FOR AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AT 
SEA, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Comprising of about 7,641 islands, the Philippines is a country with bustling ports and a 
thriving shipping industry. Indeed, in 2024, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reported 
a record-high revenue of P27.64 biliion—the agency's best performance since its 
establishment in 1974. From this, the PPA was able to remit P5.2 billion to the national 
treasury in early 2025.
A considerable portion of these revenues can be attributed to the growing passenger traffic 
at the country's ports, with the PPA recording 78.7 million passengers in 2024 alone—up 
5.1 million passengers from 2023. This growth is driven by reliance on sea travel using 
RoRo vessels, fast crafts, and motorized bancas for domestic inter-island travel.
To keep up with the growing port industry, there is a need to enhance the safety equipment 
and protocols utilized in sea transportation. Throughout the years, there have been a 
number of notabie incidents involving commercial vessels at sea, yet safety measures 
remain inadequate. With the growth of the Philippines as a developing economy, the 
country's hectic port activity wiil only keep getting more substantial.
This biil seeks to assign the Philippine Coast Guard, as weil as the Maritime Industry 
Authority, as the implementing body to monitor commercial vessels that execute trade and 
serve as a means of transportation for the general public. This bill requires that vessels 
covered under this act provide standard safety features to passengers regarding the safety 
protocols of the vessel. Vessels covered will also be required to have functional and quality 
safety equipment and emergency features for the safety of those on board the ship.
To encourage the continuous abidance with the minimum safety standards set in place, 
this bill seeks to penalize companies that fail to comply with stipulated rules with a fine of 
P50,000 to P200,000, depending on the offense and the frequency of violations. This bill 
also emphasizes that offenders repeating the violation for the third time will be punishable 
by imprisonment.


In a country with thousands of sea travelers daily, it is crucial that the Philippines hold 
companies to a high standard in ensuring the safety of transportation by water. This will 
decrease maritime incidents, protect sea travelers, and ensure the growth of businesses 
that execute commerce by sea.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
GUEL F. ZUBIRI


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
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■3 'cl
SENATE
Senate Bill No. 297
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri
AN ACT
MANDATING SHIPOWNERS, SHIP CREW, AND CONCERNED GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES TO PROVIDE FOR AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AT 
SEA, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Maritime Passenger Safety
Act.
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to:
(a) Enhance and ensure the safety and quality of passenger-transport services in the 
country through the provision on board the ship of adequate safety equipment, strict 
observance by ship owners, ship crew, and passengers of minimum safety measures 
and standards, and the provision of qualified and competent crew personnel to man 
and operate the vessels;
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(b) Provide for the effective supervision and regulation of operations of all water 
transport utilities in the country, particularly those engaged in the commercial 
carriage of passengers by sea, through the rationalization of functions and 
responsibilities of government agencies involved in the enforcement of maritime 
safety laws; and
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(c) Provide the basis for the criminal liability of ship owners and crew members of 
ships for any injuries suffered by, or loss of lives of their passengers resulting from


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their malicious or culpable negligence in the course of performance of their contracts
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of carriage with such passengers.
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SEC. 3. Scope and Coverage. The provisions of this Act shall apply to:
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(a) All vessels engaged in the carriage of passengers and goods for hire regardless
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of tonnage, including such vessels of foreign registry temporarily used in
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Philippine waters; and
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(b) All types of vessels required to be registered in the Philippines under existing
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laws.
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Warships, naval vessels, non-motorized bancas, sailboats and other watercrafts
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of less than three (3) gross registered tonnage (GRT) shall be excluded from the
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coverage of this Act.
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SEC. 4. Mandatory Minimum Safety Standards and Measures. All vessels
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covered by the provisions of this Act shall strictly observe the following:
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(a) The showing of a film, at least of ten (10) minutes length and dubbed in the local
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dialects of the points of origin and destination of the vessel, pertaining to the ship's
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safety, health and sanitation in such places in the vessel, and in such times that will
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ensure that most if not all passengers on board have effectively seen and heard the
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same;
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(b) All watertight doors, portholes, ramps and manholes shall be securely locked and
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checked prior to leaving port and must be regularly inspected during the voyage;
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(c) During any emergency, the posting of crew personnel in strategic areas or points
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in the vessel as may be indicated in its general emergency plan for the purpose of
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assisting and ensuring the safety of the passengers. The safety of passengers shall
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at all times be accorded the highest priority;
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(d) The clearing, at all times, of all passageways of any obstruction. Safe and
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convenient storage for passengers' hand-carried luggage must be provided; and
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(e) The wearing of prescribed uniform and identification cards by the ship's officers
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and crew, including security personnel, while they are on duty.


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SEC. 5. Provision of Standard Safety Equipment All vessels covered by this Act
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shall at all times be provided with:
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(a) Life vests or life jackets on board the vessel in the quantity of twenty (20) units 
or pieces more than the passenger load capacity of such vessel, as determined and 
authorized by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), imprinted with the vessel's 
name, conspicuously stored in a designated locker and must be readily accessible for 
use in any case of emergency;
(b) Lifeboats or rubber boats on board the vessel in the quantity of two (2) units 
more than what is sufficient to accommodate the passenger load capacity of such 
vessel, including the crew members, imprinted with the vessel's name conspicuously 
located in strategic points or areas of the vessel, and must be readily accessible for 
use in any case of emergency;
(c) At least two (2) accessible emergency exits or escape openings in all general 
areas, and the location of such shall be indicated by luminous signs visible in all 
passenger areas showing the proper direction thereto;
(d) Independent red blinking lights as a part of, and indicating each emergency exit 
or escape opening for the purpose of assisting the passengers in identifying such 
exits in cases of emergency;
(e) Emergency lights, in good working condition, in all passenger accommodations, 
passageways and stairways that shall automatically switch on in any case of power 
failure in the vessel;
(f) Emergency communications equipment, in good working condition, for use of the 
crew personnel to assist passengers in cases of emergency, on board and on escape 
or exit from the vessel;
(g) Firefighting equipment and supplies, in good working condition, with clear 
instructional diagrams and text; and
(h) Sketches of the vessel indicating the locations of lifejackets, lifeboats, firefighting 
equipment, emergency exits, and the major sections of the vessel, passageways and 
stairways, including the vessel's general emergency plan, conspicuously displayed in 
all passenger lounges and inside cabins and suites.


SEC. 6. Passenger Overloading. No vessel shall:
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(a) Leave a port unless its manifest or passenger list has been prepared and made
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available by the concerned ship officer to port authorities;
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(b) Leave the port carrying more than or in excess of its authorized passenger load
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capacity;
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(c) Accept persons or passengers without a valid ticket issued by the ship owner or
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its authorized agent;
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(d) Allow selling or issuance of tickets on board.
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SEC. 7. Delineation of Functions. Notwithstanding existing laws, rules and
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memoranda and issuances, the MARINA shall promulgate rules and regulations for the
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effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
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The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shall assist the MARINA in the enforcement of this Act
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and its implementing rules and regulations. For this purpose, it shall be primarily
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responsible for enforcing the provisions of this Act before any vessel leaves, or as it calls
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on, any port, and whenever, allowed by law, or when necessary in the interest of the safety
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of the passengers, while any such vessel in on its voyage at sea.
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The PCG shall assign a team to conduct the pre-departure inspection and who shall sail
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with the vessel for the whole duration of its voyage.
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SEC. 8. Penalties. Any violation of the provisions of this Act shall be punished
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accordingly:
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(a) Any person or entity in violation of the provisions of Section 4 of this Act shall suffer
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the penalty of a fine not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) but not more
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than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) for the first and second violation.
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For the third instance of violation of the same provisions, the ship owners and other
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responsible officers, as the case may be, shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of
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two (2) years and one (1) day;
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(b) Any person or entity in violation of the provisions of Section 5 of this Act shall be
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punished with a fine not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but
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not more than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00), for the first and second
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violation. For the third violation of the same provisions, the ship owners and other


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responsible officers, as the case may be, shall be punished by an imprisonment of 
three (3) years and one (1) day;
(c) Any person or entity in violation of the provisions of Section 6 of this Act shall be 
punished with a fine not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but 
not more than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) for the first and second 
violation. For the third violation of the same provisions, the ship owners and other 
responsible officer, or agent or employee, as the case may be, shall be punished by 
an imprisonment of three (3) years and one (1) day.
SEC. 9. When Injuries or Deaths Occur. Whenever less grave or serious physical 
injuries or death of any passenger occur as a direct and efficient cause of any violation of 
Sections 4, 5 and 6 of this Act as may be shown by evidence in a judicial proceeding, the 
responsible persons of the entity shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six 
(6) years but not more than twelve (12) years, without prejudice to the penalties imposed 
in the abovementioned sections.
SEC. 10. Jurisdiction of Courts. The jurisdiction over a case arising from any 
violations of this Act shall be in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Batas Pambansa 
Bilang 129 as amended: Provided, That if the violation occurred at sea, the Court whose 
seat is the most proximate in distance to such location of the vessel at sea shall have 
jurisdiction.
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, an inter-agency committee chaired by the Department of 
Transportation, in coordination with its relevant attached agencies, MARINA and the 
Philippine Coast Guard shall promulgate the necessary Implementing Rules and 
Regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations or other issuance, or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. If any portion of provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect.
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SEC. 14. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
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in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.