The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it has not authorized the imposition of additional port charges, including hazard fee, following imposition of the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, in a memo dated March 25, said the agency has not granted any increase in cargo handling, pilotage, terminal, and miscellaneous charges, including hazard fee.
Nor has it given any terminal or cargo handling operator, pilot and pilotage association, private port or port service provider permission for charge additional fees.
The memo was issued following an incident in Lucena, Quezon, where the Quezon Harbor Pilots Assocation Inc reportedly invoked the ECQ declaration to charge an additional pilot health hazard fee of P60,000 per trip.
“We reiterate that this is not authorized by PPA,” the ports authority said.
Santiago directed all port managers to monitor compliance with the memo and “immediately stop and report any violation hereof.”
Luzon was placed under enhanced community quarantine from March 17 to April 13 to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease.
