THIS year’s celebration of National Maritime Week is focused on environmental protection, particularly the push to ban the use of single-use plastics in domestic shipping and all ports.

But according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Cdre. Armand Balilo, while the use of single-use plastic is currently banned for their personnel, they cannot impose it on passengers, as a law is needed for its total implementation.

“The PCG, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Maritime Industry Authority ( Marina) are set to sign a Pledge of Commitment to implement to all personnel the use of single-use plastics. During the International Coastal Cleanup Day last week, most trash picked there were single-use plastics,” Balilo said.

Balilo said PCG commandant Adm. Artemio Abu shall direct fellow Coast Guardians to comply with the order to lessen the negative impact of single-use plastic on the country’s seas.

“We will impose penalties on our personnel who will disobey the directive. We are proposing this to be part of conversations with passengers, shipping companies and all maritime stakeholders. We want to inculcate in the public’s mind the beauty of banning single-use plastic,” the Coast Guard spokesman said.

The PCG, Marina and PPA shall come together to encourage cooperation and interagency-based regulation among waste contributors and generators through various waste reductions and management techniques, starting with banning single-use plastic within their respective offices.

The single-use plastic items that will be banned include, but are not limited to, plastic cups, drinking straws, plastic coffee stirrers, plastic utensils, sando bags and plastic wrappers.

The banning of single-use plastics, under House Bill 9147 authored by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, was already approved on final reading in July 2021 to better address pollution linked to these disposable items.

The measure seeks to regulate the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision, use, recovery, collection, recycling and disposal of single-use plastic products.

Blue economy

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Sector chief, Undersecretary Elmer Sarmiento, said his administration will focus on the revitalization of the country’s blue economy, noting that based on the report of the World Bank, the blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.”

“Key words here are ‘sustainable’ and ‘preserved’. Whatever programs we undertake, let us include the wise use of our ocean resources. Let us always be conscious of the health of the ocean ecosystem. I ask you today to transmit this message to our frontliners in the seaports. Tell them to respect the seas. We are so focused on using the seas for livelihood and to hasten economic growth we forget to give back … to protect that which sustains us,” Sarmiento said.

He added that the country can aspire for economic progress and global competitiveness without destroying the oceans.

“To achieve the goal of a safe, integrated and modern maritime transport for the country, we should not abandon the concept of the ‘blue economy’,” said Sarmiento.

Part of the National Maritime Week celebration, to be led by the PPA, is for 25 port management offices of the PPA to hold tree planting, a sports festival, a photography contest, Zumba, a virtual maritime photo exhibition, an equipment and art exhibition, a basic port operations seminar, a feeding program, a karaoke challenge, a recycled art competition, and a Covid-19 vaccination drive.

The National Maritime Week is an annual celebration that began through Proclamation 866 series of 1996 signed by then President Fidel Ramos.

The 2022 National Maritime Week started on Monday, September 19, and will last until September 25, a Sunday.