Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MANUEL ANTONIO F. ZUBIRI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Considering the archipelagic composition of the Philippines with over 7,000 islands 
surrounded by water, the Philippines is a country with bustling ports and thriving shipping 
industry. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) hit peak revenue in 2017 of P15.36 billion, 
growing by 7.24%. In addition, passenger traffic at ports expanded by 4.57% in 2017. This 
growth is driven by reliance on sea-travel using Ro-Ro vessels, fast crafts, and motorized 
bancas for domestic inter-island travel.  
There has been an influx of incidents at sea, involving both commercial  and non-
commercial vessels, yet safety measures currently in place still prove to be inadequate. And 
with a thriving and bustling shipping and port industry, it is safe to assume that 
complexities in maritime affairs will continue to arise. Thus, there is a need to enhance the 
safety equipment and protocols utilized in sea transportation. 
This bill seeks to assign the Philippine Coast Guard, as well 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 will 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 PHP 
50,000 – PHP 200,000, depending on the offense and the number of times the specific party 
has been called out. This bill also emphasized that offenders repeating the violation the 
third time around will be punishable by imprisonment. 
Thus, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MANUEL ANTONIO F. ZUBIRI 
Representative 
Third District, Bukidnon  
October 28, 2021
9:13 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MANUEL ANTONIO F. ZUBIRI 
AN ACT 
MANDATING SHIP OWNERS, 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 Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Maritime Passenger Safety Act.” 
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;
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
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 their malicious or culpable
negligence in the course of performance of their contracts of carriage with such passengers.
SEC. 3. Scope and Coverage. – The provisions of this Act shall apply to: 
a. All vessels engaged in the carriage of passengers and goods for hire regardless of tonnage,
including such vessels of foreign registry temporarily used in Philippine waters; and
b. All types of vessels required to be registered in the Philippines under existing laws.
Warships, naval vessels, non-motorized bancas, sailboats and other watercrafts of less than three 
(3) gross registered tonnage (GRT) shall be excluded from the coverage of this Act.
SEC. 4. Mandatory Minimum Safety Standards and Measures. – All vessels covered by the 
provisions of this Act shall strictly observe the following:  
a. The showing of a film, at least of ten (10) minutes length and dubbed in the local dialects of the
points of origin and destination of the vessel, pertaining to the ship’s safety, health and sanitation
in such places in the vessel, and in such times that will ensure that most if not all passengers on
board have effectively seen and heard the same;
b. All watertight doors, portholes, ramps and manholes shall be securely locked and checked prior
to leaving port and must be regularly inspected during the voyage;
c. During any emergency, the posting of crew personnel in strategic areas or points in the vessel as
may be indicated in its general emergency plan for the purpose of assisting and ensuring the safety
of the passengers. The safety of passengers shall at all times be accorded the highest priority;
d. The clearing, at all times, of all passageways of any obstruction. Safe and 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 and crew, 
including security personnel, while they are on duty.    
 
SEC. 5. Provision of Standard Safety Equipment. – All vessels covered by this Act shall at all times 
be provided with:  
 
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:  
 
a. Leave a port unless its manifest or passenger list has been prepared and made available by the 
concerned ship officer to port authorities;   
 
b. Leave the port carrying more than or in excess of its authorized passenger load capacity;  
 
c. Accept persons or passengers without a valid ticket issued by the ship owner or its authorized 
agent;  
 
d. Allow selling or issuance of tickets on board.   
 
SEC. 7. Delineation of Functions. – Notwithstanding existing laws, rules and memoranda and 
issuances, the MARINA shall promulgate rules and regulations for the effective implementation of 
the provisions of this Act.  
 
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shall assist the MARINA in the enforcement of this Act and its 
implementing rules and regulations. For this purpose, it shall be primarily responsible for enforcing 
the provisions of this Act before any vessel leaves, or as it calls on, any port, and whenever, allowed 
by law, or when necessary, in the interest of the safety of the passengers, while any such vessel in 
on its voyage at sea.  
 
The PCG shall assign a team to conduct the pre-departure inspection and who shall sail with the 
vessel for the whole duration of its voyage.   
 
SEC. 8. Penalties. – Any violation of the provisions of this Act shall be punished accordingly:  
 
a. Any person or entity in violation of the provisions of Section 4 of this Act shall suffer the penalty 
of a fine not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand 


Pesos (P100,000.00) for the first and second violation. For the third instance of violation of the 
same provisions, the ship owners and other responsible officers, as the case may be, shall suffer the 
penalty of imprisonment of two (2) years and one (1) day;  
 
b. Any person or entity in violation of the provisions of Section 5 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 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 (DOTr), 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, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with or 
contrary to this Act are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or amended. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, 
the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from publication in at least 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,