Operationalization and Funding of the Extension Office
- The MARINA Administrator is instructed to promptly include the operationalization of the Calbayog City Extension Office in the agency’s programs.
- Funding for the extension office will be sourced from the annual General Appropriations Act.
Effectivity of the Law
- The law takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Legislative Process and Approval
- The law originated in the House of Representatives and was passed by both the House and the Senate on January 20, 2021, and January 31, 2022, respectively.
- The Act lapsed into law on June 18, 2022, without the President’s signature, pursuant to Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
Key Legal Concepts
- The conversion from a satellite office to an extension office implies a formal establishment with regular functions under MARINA’s organizational structure.
- The extension office aims to decentralize MARINA’s services, improving accessibility for maritime stakeholders in the Eastern Visayas region.
- Appropriation of funds through the General Appropriations Act ensures sustainable financing and governmental support for the extension office.
- The provision for lapse into law underscores the constitutional mechanism for automatic enactment absent presidential action within a prescribed period.