Maritime Passenger Safety Act
Filed on July 9, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Public Services; it has been pending in committee since August 5, 2025, with no recorded action since then.
The bill addresses safety concerns in the growing maritime passenger industry.
The bill responds to increasing maritime incidents and passenger traffic.
Maritime Passenger Safety Act
The Maritime Passenger Safety Act mandates shipowners, crew, and government agencies to ensure passenger safety at sea, establishing penalties for violations and setting minimum safety standards for vessels.
Compared with current law:
Vessels may operate without strict safety measures.
Vessels must comply with mandatory safety standards and equipment.
No penalties for safety violations.
Penalties include fines and imprisonment for non-compliance.
The Act aims to ensure the safety of passengers at sea by mandating shipowners and crew to provide adequate safety equipment and protocols, and it establishes penalties for violations.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in the committee for over two months with no action since its first reading on August 5, 2025.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 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 billion-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 notable 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 will only keep getting more substantial. 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 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. SUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRT
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 23 57 First Regular Session 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:
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 (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, 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.
SEC. 14. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.