Senators seek to lay down rules for emergency assistance at sea
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Senators seek to lay down rules for emergency assistance at sea
Naval officers on their watch inside the bridge of the BRP Davao Del Sur as they sail the West Philippine Sea on May 18, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
Naval officers on their watch inside the bridge of the BRP Davao Del Sur as they sail the West Philippine Sea on May 18, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — Two senators have bills to institutionalize the giving of assistance to any person found at sea and punish those who "unreasonably fail to render assistance" to those in distress.
MANILA — Two senators have bills to institutionalize the giving of assistance to any person found at sea and punish those who "unreasonably fail to render assistance" to those in distress.
Sen. Francis Tolentino's Senate Bill 1388, provides for rules on the duty to render assistance at sea in accordance with relevant international conventions to which the Philippines is a state party.
Sen. Francis Tolentino's Senate Bill 1388, provides for rules on the duty to render assistance at sea in accordance with relevant international conventions to which the Philippines is a state party.
"Stirred by the June 2019 maritime incident concerning an allision on the West Philippine Sea that involved the lives of 22 Filipino fishermen, this bill was crafted to ensure that persons guilty of jeopardizing the lives of men at sea and those who unreasonably fail to render assistance to persons in distress at sea do not go unpunished," Tolentino said in his explanatory note.
"Stirred by the June 2019 maritime incident concerning an allision on the West Philippine Sea that involved the lives of 22 Filipino fishermen, this bill was crafted to ensure that persons guilty of jeopardizing the lives of men at sea and those who unreasonably fail to render assistance to persons in distress at sea do not go unpunished," Tolentino said in his explanatory note.
Tolentino said the bill aims to implement provisions in International Maritime instruments ratified by the Philippines, including:
Tolentino said the bill aims to implement provisions in International Maritime instruments ratified by the Philippines, including:
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The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 and its Protocols of 1978 and 1988 and Agreement of 1996
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982
Before him, Sen. Joel Villanueva also filed Senate Bill 1136.
Before him, Sen. Joel Villanueva also filed Senate Bill 1136.
In his explanatory note, Villanueva also pointed to the UNCLOS provision on the duty “to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost,” or “to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress.”
In his explanatory note, Villanueva also pointed to the UNCLOS provision on the duty “to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost,” or “to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress.”
Villanueva also maintained his bill provides for a domestic law that will provide the applicable rules of conduct in case of accidents at sea.
Villanueva also maintained his bill provides for a domestic law that will provide the applicable rules of conduct in case of accidents at sea.
Under Villanueva's bill, all vessels, regardless of the flag state, navigating Philippine water and all Philippine-flagged vessels navigating in the contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, and the high seas, shall have the duty to render the necessary assistance to ships in distress or to proceed to the rescue of persons in distress.
Under Villanueva's bill, all vessels, regardless of the flag state, navigating Philippine water and all Philippine-flagged vessels navigating in the contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, and the high seas, shall have the duty to render the necessary assistance to ships in distress or to proceed to the rescue of persons in distress.
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