Milestone year for PPA

even better performance in almost all aspects of operations for the agency.

“It is really overwhelming that we are ending the year on the upside, far better than what we originally projected,” Santiago said.

“Our mantra really did us wonders for 2019. With the continuing leadership of Transport Secretary Arthur P. Tugade our port users and the public can expect an even better Serbisyo at Malasakit come 2020,” Santiago stressed.

Since 2016 to date, the PPA has already completed more than 200 port projects, which include, among others, the biggest and state-of-the-art passenger terminal building in Cagayan de Oro City, which was launched in July. Since then, the PPA is now undertaking some 105 port projects spread over the three main islands of the country, 45 for Luzon, 22 for Visayas and 38 for Mindanao. Out of this number, 11, 2 and 13 port projects have been completed while 15, 16 and 22 projects are ongoing, respectively. These projects are combinations of commercial and social reform ports implemented hand-in-hand with the Department of Transportation.

PPA has likewise implemented the Free Passenger Terminal Fee for Senior Citizens, Differently-abled persons, Students, Uniformed Personnel and even expanded to include Medal of Valor awardees and their next

Integrated Management Systems (IMS) from the Quality Management System, which the PPA has been strictly observing since 2015. Out of

audits. PPA’s youngest PMO that was established two years ago, Masbate,

Stop-Shop for cargo owners and vessel operators resulting in faster turnaround time for vessels and reduced dwell time of cargoes inside the ports, thus, reducing cost on all stakeholders.

Similarly, the PPA is also in the advanced stages in its compliance with the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Act in its bid to further reduce bureaucratic red tape for its internal and most especially its external clients by providing step-by-step procedures and penalty thereof for non-compliance with the agreed EODB timelines.

PPA has been continuously augmenting its port police force as part of the agency’s effort in ensuring the safety and security of passenger transport and cargo hauling as well as implementing local and international security measures and protocols. Just recently, the second batch of gradu