AS 2022 comes to a close, Congress busied itself accelerating the debates and enactment of priority bills endorsed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., none of which pertains to maritime legislation. Of the several maritime-related bills filed in Congress at the start of the 19th Congress, one needs to be given precedence — House Bill (HB) 4336 or the 'Philippine Ship Registry' bill filed by Ilocos Norte Second District Rep. Angelo Barba Marcos.

Several existing pieces of legislation refer to the registration of ships under Philippine laws such as the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, Presidential Decree 474 and Executive Order 125/125-A, among others.