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The Philippine Ports Authority reiterated its warning against the payment of extra fees
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The statement came after reports of bus passengers paying a booking service fee of P20 at Matnog Port
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PPA said it does not charge extra fees, with passengers already covered by the vessel insurance
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reiterated its warning against the payment of extra fees at ports after receiving such complaints at Matnog port.
Port Management Office Bicol Port manager Ma. Magnolia Requejo said they are now investigating reports of passengers being charged a booking service fee of P20 on November 30, adding “almost all buses are apparently charging this to their passengers”.
She said the issue has been discussed with Sorsogon provincial administrator Erick Ravanilla, who stressed they have not authorized any such charge.
For his part, PPA general manager Jay Santiago said: “It should be clear to passengers that it is not PPA that charges extra fees to those who are using the port; there is no extra fee that needs to be charged to passengers as port fees are already fixed and we do not add any much on it.”
He pointed out that bus passengers should only pay for three things: the fare (ferry ticket), terminal fee to PPA, and the environmental fee to the concerned local government unit.
Santiago said any PPA personnel found to have been involved in the unauthorized collection of fees will face administrative cases. Earlier, there were reports of unscrupulous individuals collecting a supposed mandatory passenger insurance.
“Heads will roll once proven guilty of unauthorized collection of fees inside the port, including this mandatory passenger insurance. The PPA management is taking this matter very seriously as we are after the welfare and comfort of our passengers,” Santiago vowed.
PPA previously issued a memo directing all port managers to ensure implementation of PPA Memorandum Circular No. 06-2010, which prohibits the mandatory sale of passenger insurance coverage. Under the MC, PPA said no additional payment for insurance should be collected from passengers as they are already covered by vessel insurance.
PPA noted that under PPA MC No. 17-2003 (Applicable Ro-Ro Tariff Rates for the Strong Republic Nautical Highway) issued in July 2003, only the terminal fee should be collected from the passenger.
Moreover, under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 9295, or the Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004, vessel owners are mandated to provide insurance coverage with an aggregate limit of liability in the amount of P200,000 per passenger.
