3 June 2004, Islamabad, Pakistan – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert said that the report that the Philippines will be able to comply with the anti-terrorist regulations required by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will not only serve to protect Philippine ports, ships and seafarers, but will also boost trade in the long run.

The Secretary made this statement from Islamabad, Pakistan, where she is currently on an official visit, after hearing of the report of Maritime Industry Authority chief Oscar Sevilla that the necessary measures would be in place. The IMO announced stringent guidelines on vessels and ports last year, to be met by July 1 this year, in a bid to protect them from terrorist attack.

The IMO’s International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code includes stricter control of access to ships and ports, no-go zones, video surveillance, improved lighting around vessels, the installation of required equipment on board, a security officer on every ship and an emergency procedure plan.
 
The IMO ruled that large vessels such as tankers, cargo ships and cruisers must meet these regulations by July 1 to obtain an ISPS certificate or face being banned from foreign ports.

The Secretary said that the shipowners have an important role to play, as some of these regulations require shipowners to spend to make their ships compliant.

“The shipowners are important partners in this endeavor and I am confident that we can work together to make all this happen,” the Secretary said.
 
“The safety of the ships, the crew and its cargo are of the utmost importance. In the long run, with more secure shipping, there will be a greater volume of shipping and cargo, and there will be more trade and also more opportunities for our seafarers,” Secretary Albert said.

“The Philippines has not only been an active participant in the war against terror, but has also been at the forefront of regional cooperation on transport security,” the Secretary said.
 
As Undersecretary for International Economic Relations and Philippine Senior Official to APEC, Secretary Albert organized and hosted the APEC High Level Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation in Manila on 8-9 September 2003, which highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in ensuring the safety of the movement of people and goods.

Last April, the Philippines also hosted the 2nd ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-sessional Meeting (ISM) on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime which focused on Transport Security. END.