DOTC declares a 6-month amnesty on banca registration

Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez recently ordered a six-month amnesty on the registration of motorized and non-motorized bancas nationwide.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez recently ordered a six-month amnesty on the registration of motorized and non-motorized bancas nationwide.

He instructed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) that during the period, the registration fee of R600 per banca would be waived.

Records at the MARINA and PCG show that only about 100,000 of the estimated half a million motorized and nonmotorized bancas are registered.

Alvarez said there is a need to have an inventory of these small sea craft and to determine the owners of these bancas because they are used by criminal elements to ply their trade.

Many sea incidents, including piracy and other violations of law in the sea have been attributed to the use of these small sea craft.

Small bancas are used to transport good looted or smuggled from vessels docked at the waterfronts or in the open seas.

In Mindanao, the Abu Sayyaf bandits and other lawless elements use motorized sea craft in their criminal activities.

Alvarez directed the PCG and MARINA to give small boat owners six months to register. After the registration period, all unregistered bancas will be impounded by PCG and MARINA.

He said the savings from the free registration in the first six months could be used by banca owners to upgrade the seaworthiness of the sea craft.

But he warned that the government would not hesitate to impose stiff sanctions on those who would not cooperate.

He explained that the registration of bancas would also benefit banca owners as those who use their sea craft for illegal activities could be easily identified. (PNA)