Today, the Manila Times inaugurates its Maritime page – another milestone for an industry which permeates every Filipino’s life – but most often taken for granted. Bringing the maritime industry closer to a broader audience on a weekly frequency has been anticipated by many industry stakeholders and players.
Putting up a dedicated maritime section opens up the reader’s awareness to the different sectors which make up the industry - from shipping to seafaring, port operations to maritime administration, shipbuilding and maritime education and training and many other activities allied with sea transportation. Contrary to the general perception on the dearth of maritime information, there is a wealth of current and useful news generated by the industry which could affect the decision-making process of those in trade and business, economics and governance. Most industry practitioners access foreign maritime news understandably for the global character of the industry. Lamentably though, the dearth of up-to-date local maritime news leads maritime players and stakeholders to depend on international news services - a drawback for an archipelagic country.