Question & AnswerQ&A (MARINA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 180)
The main objective is to provide guidelines governing the counting and manifesting of all persons carried on board passenger ships to ensure that all persons on board are duly and properly recorded in the Passenger Manifest.
It applies to Philippine-registered passenger ships, regardless of size, plying the domestic trade.
A passenger is any person carried on board a ship except the master and crew, persons carried due to force majeure such as shipwrecked or distressed persons, and children under one (1) year of age.
The Passenger Manifest must include all persons counted as passengers on board a passenger ship for a particular voyage, using the prescribed format and including required information such as names and categories (adult, child, discounted fare passengers).
No, children under one (1) year old are not considered passengers and are attached to the name of the accompanying adult passenger in the manifest.
No passenger-carrying ship shall allow passengers in excess of the total number of passengers authorized for the ship, and the total number of persons on board shall not exceed the total number allowed except during rescue operations as per PMMRR rules.
An Administration-approved lifejacket must be provided for every person on board. Additionally, lifejackets suitable for children equal to at least 10% of the total authorized passengers with accommodation must be provided, with adjustments if the number of children exceeds 10%.
For the Master/Boat Captain: P10,000 for ships 35 GT and below or P25,000 for ships above 35 GT with suspension or revocation of SIRB/QDC on subsequent violations. For the Shipowner/Operator: 200% of the passage rate times the number of excess passengers, suspension, or revocation of ship's CPC/PA/SP.
The Master/Boat Captain faces penalties similar to excess passengers including fines and suspension or revocation of SIRB/QDC, and the Shipowner/Operator faces suspension or revocation of ship's CPC/PA/SP.
Entries should be legible and, whenever possible, computer-generated.