PPA @35:

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) proudly celebrates its 35th anniversary which is a milestone event and proof of what is has achieved in over three decades in the core areas of port development and port operations and administration in close partnership with its stakeholders in the maritime and shipping sector.

From a successful and systematic turnover of the functions of port administration from the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Public Works in 1974, the PPA, with just a core of pioneering personnel and small office space, has gradually evolved, marked an impressive track record and posted significant milestones in the last 35 years.

PPA today

Pursuant to its mandate, the PPA poured its resources and harnessed the skills and personnel to the simultaneous full-blast development, upgrading and rehabilitation of a system of secondary and smaller ports through the provision of needed facilities and amenities to cover the expanse of the entire archipelago. Merged with the agenda of simultaneous physical development was the laying down of a comprehensive system of policies, rules, regulations and protocol for the development, maintenance, operation and administration of what is now a nationwide system of ports.

Thirty-five years since its birth, the PPA now manages through its five Port District Offices (PDOs) and 24 Port Management Offices (PMOs) a rationalized system of over a hundred ports nationwide, employs over 3,000 regular and job order employees, excluding local employment in port communities; hence, supports government employment generation efforts-through its numerous port projects nationwide and authorized cargo handling and ancillary services contractors.

State of the Nation Address (SONA) and strong republic national highway (SRNH) ports

The PPA under the helm of its General Manager, Atty. Oscar M. Sevilla, has played a major role in contributing to the national government’s development thrusts. PPA, being in a strong position to help government realize its economic agenda, has focused on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s SONA targets, particularly her flagship project – the SRNH and has become the lead agency in the development of SONA and SRNH ports. PPA’s share in the form of investments amounting to P8.5 billion in RoRo facilities in addition to P10 billion in (r port facilities and infrastracture nationwide (as summarized in the table of Infrastracture Programs) has significantly contributed to the government’s agenda of hastening the country’s interconnectivity, substantial reduction of transport and logistics costs, accelerated development of the regions and generation of employment opportunities.

Since the inaugural of the first SRNH route, the Western Nautical Highway in 2003, the SRNH has extended its coverage to include gateways to islands and provinces with emerging businesses and vast economic potentials. As of June 2009, the SRNH includes the three major highways and the port-to-port links, as follows:

Western Nautical Highway
1. Batangas City to 2. Calapan City
3. Roxas, Or. Mindoro to 4. Caticlan, Aklan
5. Iloilo City to 6. Bacolod City
7. Dumaguete City to 8. Dapitan City, Zamboanga

Central Nautical Highway
1. Pasacao, camarines Sur to
2. San Pascual, Burias Island or Claveria, Burias Island
3. Claveria, Burias Island to
4. Aroroy, Masbate
5. Cawayan, Masbate to
6. Daan Bantayan, Cebu or Bogo, Cebu
7. Cebu City to
8. Tubigon, Cebu
9. Jagna, Bohol to
10. Mambaja, camiguin
11. Benoni, Camiguin to
12. Balingoan, Misamis Oriental

Eastern Nautical Highway
1. Pilar, Sorsogon to
2. Masbate, Masbate
3. Bulan, Sorsogon to
4. Masbate, Masbate
5. Cawayan, Masbate to
6. Naval, Biliran
7. Maripipi, Biliran to
8. Naval, Biliran
9. San Ricardo, Southern Leyte to
10. Lipata, Surigao

Greater Maritime Access (GMA) Modular RoRo Ports

To further enhance mobility and improve linkages between islands and access to markets/activity centers as well as to support the agro/fisheries sector, the coverage of the SRNH shall be expanded by the government through PPA’s implementation of the GMA Modular RoRo Ports Project. This will make use of modular technology to easily and immediately install about 72 RoRo ports and thus assist the strategic expansion of maritime infrastracture in the country.

MIS Computerization Project

The MIS Computerization Project of the PPA is designed to complement its port modernization effort. Its main goal is to promote transparency and efficiency in the delivery of PPA services.

Various applications covering PPA’s critical functions are now in the process of being implemented in the PPA Head Office, Port District Offices and major ports under the various Port Management Offices across the country. By the end of August 2009, the following computerized application systems will have been fully installed and operational: Port Operations Management System (POMS); Accounting and Financial Management System (AFMS); Port Engineering Management System (PEMS); e-Procurement System (e-Prock); Legal Support System (LSS); Real Estate Management System (EIS). It can be expected that stae-of-the-art information and communications technology will henceforth be a significant component of PPA’s strategy for the development, operation and administration of ports.

Vessel traffic monitoring system (VTMS)

As member signatories of IMO-SOLAS, PPA made a priority the establishment of a VTMS to provide a monitoring system for identifying, tracking and guiding ships. The tracking system makes available necessary advice for route planning, estimated time of arrival of observed ships and early warnings against risk of accidents. The first VTMS at the Port of Manila was officially turned over to PPA in September 2005 and is operating 24/7. The Project has been replicated at the Port of Batangas as part of the Batangas Development Project Phase II.

Shift in corporate paradigm: corporate social responsibility

From an organization that exercises authority and puts premium on the corporate goal of sustaining viable operations, PPA has made a conscious effort to transform itself into one that is more aware of its social responsibility to the public and to the port community. This paradigm shift is in accord with the priorities and policies of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Aside from addressing the President’s Hunger Mitigation programs through the ports, the PPA strengthened its continuing commitment to social responsibility by empowering its port communities and proactively addressing the cause of poverty.

The informal settlers in the ports (ISPs) have always been an area of concern of the PPA. It will be noted that as a frontier for economic mobility and a measure of the country’s economic progress, the port area should be appropriately utilized.

PPAs strategy is to help them improve their economic and social situation with the hope  that once empowered economically, they will voluntarily leave the area.

Since the President’s issuance of Executive Order No. 27 which directed the Board of Directors of the PPA to approve a budget for pro-poor and social amelioration projects, programs and activities which shall form part of the regular yearly budget for the Gender and Development Program, the beneficiaries to date of the PPA-GAD Pro-Poor Projects totals to P51,480 broken down, as follows:

Health and Nutrition    37,830
Family and Sanitation Concerns    3,560
Enterpreneurial and Livelihood Concerns  10,090
TOTAL      51,480

Through the PPA Gender and Development Focal Point (PPA-GAD), the following activities are continuously being undertaken as part of the port agency’s CSR:
– provided priority lanes in the port for pregnant women and people with special needs
– provided child care station at the Passenger Terminal Buildings (PTBs) as well as clean comfort rooms
– Provided massage/reflexology stations in PTBs where PPA trained reflexologists can render their services for a living.

The PPA likewise implemented the following:
– conducted medical/dental mission as well as feeding programs to malnourished children
– conducted information drive for the protection and prevention of environment
– established and operated satellite clinics in identified areas in partnership with LGUs
– provided laundry areas with water supply for families who have established domicile within the port vicinity
– provided/established day care facilities in identified areas
– provided entrepreneurial and livelihood programs to the informal settlers in coordination with TESDA
– pursued Job linkages/networking for employment of graduates of livelihood programs

The Halfway House

-constructed and operated Halfway Houses of BSD in major ports namely: Davao, North and South Harbors, Batangas and Matnog in Sorsogon, Iloilo, Surigao and Zamboanga. The provisions of BSD in major ports as a form of intervention of passenger-victims was a pioneering initiative of PPA-GAD aimed at addressing the concerns of women by providing refuge and thus avert their exploitation and/or trafficking. This project has received full support from the US and other countries as well as other local and international organizations.

Traffic growth

Since its birth, the PPA notched an impressive list of statistics to support these accomplishments. From servicing 28 million tons of cargo and 6 million passengers and posting about P72 million in revenues in 1977, PPA now handles an average of 145 million tons of cargo, 45 million passengers and over 300,000 ships while posting am average of 6 billion in revenues during the last five years. With only about 231 million total resources in 1977, the PPA has grown to a P90 billion GOCC in terms of recorded assets, infrastracture, facilities and equipment. Since 1988, PPA has remitted to the national treasury dividends amounting to about P11 billion.

Challenges

Despite the current global economic climate, the PPA will continue to exert its best efforts in pursuing its mandate for the benefit of only its stakeholders but the future generation of Filipinos who are relying on the port facilities and services for their conveyance and livelihood. Amidst the wave of crisis, this is a time for turning the tide in our country’s favor and PPA is committed and is already positioning itself for globally competitive Philippines in time for the world’s economic recovery.