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New Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista urged PPA officials to lower shipping and travel costs for shippers and travellers and to maintain service quality in the ports
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Bautista, in a surprise visit, tells PPA personnel to keep their integrity and maintain transparency
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His call for PPA to lower the costs for port users and travellers comes amid a clamor by traders and ship operators against new tariffs PPA will impose at Pasig River Port
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista urged officials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to cut shipping and travel costs on the country’s waterways and to maintain service quality in the ports.
The new transport chief also exhorted all PPA personnel to keep their integrity at all times as he paid a surprise visit to the PPA offices on Bonifacio Drive on July 7 to familiarize himself with the operations of all agencies under the Department of Transportation.
“As we wait for the appointment of your General Manager, which will happen in the next couple of days, please make sure to further reduce shipping and travel costs nationwide and maintain the high quality of service in all ports,” Bautista stressed.
“All employees should also observe and maintain their integrity and transparency at all times to avoid tainting the reputation of government service,” said Bautista, a retired president and chief operating officer of the Philippine Airlines.
The new secretary’s call for PPA to cut shipping and travel costs for both port users and travelers as well as enhance port services came amid a clamor by shippers and ship operators against new tariffs PPA will impose when the Pasig River Port opens under a new terminal manager.
The stakeholders are urging the government to probe tariff rises of 949% for bulk cargo, 615% for general cargo, and 71% for prime goods that PPA is bent to impose on users of the Pasig River port.
The previous PPA general manager, Jay Santiago, claimed the rates are imposed uniformly on all Tier 3 ports.
On June 6, The Pasig Port Users Against PPA Tariff Increases, in an appeal in newspapers, sought the intervention of then President Rodrigo Duterte, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., then National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua and new NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.
They asked the leaders to intervene halt “PPA’s attempt to unjustifiably and unconscionably increase arrastre, mooring and other tariffs at the Port of Pasig” as the increased fees would drive up end-consumer prices of goods shipped between Pasig and other domestic ports.
Bautista met with PPA officials and disclosed his plans to further develop the port industry and enhance the benefits to shippers and travelers.
He also pledged full support to the agency, particularly in the areas of government-to-government interconnectivity, information and communication technology, personnel recruitment in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, and compliance with port global best practices, among others.
Prior to the appointment of Secretary Bautista to the DOTr, the PPA already completed 248 seaport development projects, part of 586 completed seaport projects under his predecessor, Secretary Arthur Tugade.
The projects were designed to increase productivity and capacity, and to modernize the facilities of the ports for the comfort and convenience of travellers and shippers.
In the next 100 days, PPA will complete another seven seaport projects, which are vital in accelerating connectivity among the islands not only in the short term but at least in the next 5 to 6 years.
“The Philippine Ports Authority will play a very important role in achieving the goal of the President for accessible, affordable, comfortable, and safe transportation. Help me achieve that desire of the President to help the riding public,” Bautista said.
