The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is implementing measures to prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in its offices and facilities.
The measures are under PPA Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 18-2020 and applies to all PPA employees, including outsourced service providers, port users, stakeholders, and the general public.
MC 18-2020, dated April 25 and which took effect immediately, is in compliance with Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Resolutions of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and other government orders on COVID-19 concerns.
Under MC 18-2020, no person below 20 years old or above 60 years old will be allowed entry in PPA premises. All visitors must present upon entry official identification cards.
Sanitation protocols will be observed prior to entry, including accomplishment of the Entry Protocol Form, thermal scanning, and handwashing or sanitizing. The “no mask, no entry” policy will apply.
Movement inside PPA offices will be limited and monitored. Visitors will be given an access pass to the specific area they will go to.
Only 50% of PPA employees will physically report for work except for staff at the Port Police Department and Administrative Services Department who will report for work daily.
Skeletal workforce teams on rotation will be maintained at port management offices.
The “no mask, no entry” policy as well as wearing of other appropriate personal protective equipment will also be enforced on PPA personnel.
PPA’s Information and Communications Technology Department will develop guidelines in consultation with the Legal Services Department to promote e-commerce, digital communications including the use of electronic signature, and online transactions to limit human contact to a minimum.
General disinfection at the end of every business day will be regularly done in all PPA offices. High-touch surfaces such as door-knobs, elevator car operating panels, handrails, and stairwells will be disinfected at least every two hours. Toilet facilities will also be maintained in clean and sanitary conditions throughout the day.
The use of information and communications technology and resources is encouraged to avoid and/or limit face-to-face interactions or encounters.
PPA will also conduct COVID-19 testing for employees once the community quarantines are lifted, and subsequent testing will be done as needed.
PPA facilities, particularly for frontline services such as passenger terminal buildings (PTB), port integrated clearing offices, and such other areas operated by port terminal operators, cargo-handling operators, or service providers and are accommodating third party visitors or port clients, will be retrofitted or marked to comply with physical distancing requirements.
Sanitation supplies such as alcohol and hand sanitation gels will be made available in all public areas and toilet facilities by the port terminal operator/service providers.
Facilities will be regularly disinfected at least once a day at the end of each business day. PTBs will be disinfected at the end of every passenger embarkation cycle.
MC 18-2020 also created a COVID-19 Response Emergency Team headed by the assistant general manager for finance and administration to oversee and monitor the implementation of the authority’s COVID-19 measures.
Photo courtesy of PPA
