Member agencies of the Port Security Advisory Committee (PSAC) and Port & Maritime Management Advisory Council (PMMAC) together with the active participation of more partner agencies, thoroughly deliberated issues and concerns related to national and local security, new policy issuance, among others, during their 1st Quarter Meeting on 14 March 2019 at the PPA PMO MOC Gad Hall.
Said meetings gained boosted inter-agency coordination with the high attendance rate by more agency partners: the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) who delivered a special development report relative to the Executive Order 70; the Bureau of Customs who presented the Customs Memorandum Order 13-2019 “Interim Guidelines on the Return of Empty Containers at the Port of Manila (POM) and Manila International Container Port (MICP); the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-10, Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-10, and the LGU-Cagayan de Oro.
PSAC members who convened in the morning shared national and local security updates. The Port Police Division, headed by Port Police Superintendent Bernardo A. Gartalia, reported on the 2019 PABA issuances and other port security and emergency operations related matters.
In the afternoon of even date, one of the major points of discussion during the PMMAC meeting was the resolution of Lift-On-Lift-Off (LOLO) Extra Charge in container cargo handling. Also part of the agenda is the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)’s new circulars/advisories:
- Circular No. 2018-07 “The Rights of Passengers and Obligations of Operators in Cases of Cancelled, Delayed or Unfinished/Incomplete Voyages”
- Circular No. MS-2018-18 “Revised Rules and Regulations on the Implementation of the Mandatory Minimum Service Standards and Other Services On-Board Ships Carrying Passenger in the Inter-Island Shipping Trade
- Advisory No. 01-2019 “Declaration of RORO Missionary Routes in the Domestic Trade”
The agency also reiterated their Circular on the Minimum Safe Manning and Cargo Stowage.
For updates, Port Manager Isidro V. Butaslac, Jr., apprised the body of the status of the major infrastructure developments of the PMO MOC that are soon to be completed and operational, especially the new Port Terminal Building (PTB) at the Baseport which is at 93% progress already as of February 2019 and is expected to be operational by the end of April.
Lastly, PPA PMO MOC informed the port stakeholders about the new Shore Reception Facility (SRF) Services Provider of the Port of Cagayan de Oro. —IMR Lam