OUT OF OPERATION. A wooden-hull boat ferries passengers in Zumarraga, Samar in this Aug. 8, 2019 photo. The Maritime Industry Authority said on Thursday (Nov. 25, 2021) many wooden boats are still in operation despite the phase-out. (Photo courtesy of Discovering Zumarraga) TACLOBAN CITY- The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has admitted that convincing passenger boat operators to acquire fiberglass boats for a safer maritime public transport industry remains a big challenge five years after the government laid the modernization plan. Nanette Villamor-Dinopol, MARINA deputy administrator for operations, said on Thursday the transition period for the modernization is over, but the majority of operators in island towns still use wooden-hull passenger bancas. "We cannot force operators to replace wooden boats since it requires a lot of investments and they're not earning that much in some provinces. Likewise, many ports in towns and villages have no capability to accommodate