For several decades, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) had rented the Singer building at the United Nation street, Manila amounting to P1.8 million a month, this time it has to move somewhere in Manila also or along Roxas Boulevard to own the building with a budget of P22 million.

Elena H. Bautista, MARINA Administrator, revealed the information to a group of Maritime Journalists of the Philippines (Majap) during a press briefing held at the Manila Yacht Club last Tuesday.

Bautista said that 2,000 square meters is the lot area and the floor area is 7,000 square meters which can be translated into a four-storey building.

The cost of the building is being financed by the Development Bank of the Philippine (DBP) and Marina should pay the P22 million in the span of one year, she added.

“This is a lease to own transaction and DBP agrees with Marina about the proposal,” Bautista said.

The purpose for which is that Marina will not be renting the building anymore be it owned by a private or a public sector.

Marina has been moving from one place to another and if the plan to own a building pushes through, for the first time Marina has become stationary or permanent.

Bautista said once the building is finished the facilities can accommodate various functions to help upgrade the quality of the Filipino seafarers and crew.

“As soon as possible we would like to move our office so we can be effective with our duty to serve the Filipinos whose means of transportation is by the sea through ships or boats,” Bautista said.

She said that the code of the maritime industry which is about to be amended is still to be top agenda of the government and it is still shelved at the office of the National Economy Development Authority (NEDA).

“There are so many thing to be changed or replaced in the provisions of the code as the pressing needs in the maritime industry demand for it,” Bautista said.

Bautista will be taking a leave of absence from Marina office for several months starting March as she will be enjoying her honeymoon with her newly-wed Boholano/German husband.