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The Philippine Ports Authority is postponing implementation of a requirement for trucking companies transacting in Manila terminals to secure a permit to operate (PTO)
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PPA Memorandum Circular No. 19-2021 is imposing the moratorium to give truckers more time to comply with the policy
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The circular implements special PTO application and processing procedures and Certificate of Accreditation during the moratorium
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Effective November 1, trucking companies/operators without a PTO may still transact in Manila terminals under certain conditions
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PTO-less trucking companies that have not filed for certificate of accreditation or PTO before October 31, 2021 will not be allowed to transact in Manila terminals
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is postponing the implementation of a policy requiring trucking companies transacting in Manila terminals to secure a permit to operate (PTO).
PPA Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 19-2021 dated October 13 imposes a moratorium on the requirement of PTO for truckers under PPA Administrative Order (AO) No. 09-2020 on account of community quarantines in Metro Manila and its neighboring areas, and “the considerable volume of transport requirements in Manila Ports.”
The moratorium gives trucking companies more time to comply with AO 09-2020. The AO requires transport companies such as truckers to secure a PTO from PPA to render services in the ports. Effective December 2020, AO 09-2020 also provided revised guidelines on the issuance of PTO for the provision of ancillary services in PPA ports. Ancillary services covered by the policy include trucking, freight forwarding, shipping agent, bunkering, laundering and lighterage/barging.
Despite the moratorium, PPA said it still encourages trucking operators operating or intending to operate in Manila Ports to comply with the agency’s requirements.
MC 19-2021 implements special procedures in the application and processing of PTO and Certificate of Accreditation (CA) during the moratorium. All port service providers, including truckers, are required under PPA AO 06-2019 to secure accreditation from the ports authority before the award of port services contract or PTO is issued.
READ: PPA requires accreditation for all port service providers
Effective November 1, trucking companies/operators without a valid PTO will still be allowed to transact in Manila South Harbor, Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), and Manila North Harbor (North Port) but only if an application for issuance of CA or PTO has been filed with PPA on or before October 31, 2021, or if payment of processing fee for the PTO application has been made.
Truckers without a PTO and that have not filed for issuance of CA or PTO before October 31, 2021 will not be allowed to transact in Manila terminals, according MC 19-2021.
Applications must be filed and submitted online through PPA’s e-Permit Management System or the PPA Services website. Manual application may still be filed and submitted to the PPA port management offices (PMO) of NCR South Harbor or PMO North Harbor, which have jurisdiction over Manila terminals, although online application is encouraged.
For CA applications filed before October 31, only the following documents should be submitted at the time of application: duly accomplished application form, Articles of Incorporation/Partnership/Department of Trade and Industry registration/Cooperative Development Authority registration, and omnibus statement provided by PPA.
All other documents prescribed under AO 06-2019 will be submitted on or before December 31. Outstanding financial obligations or pending case with PPA should also be settled on or before December 31. Failure to do these will be a ground for cancellation of the CA or PTO.
For CA applications filed after October 31, all documents prescribed under AO 06-2019 should be submitted at the time of the application.
All existing PTOs or those to be issued by the PMO of NCR South Harbor and NCR North Harbor will be valid and recognized in all terminals under the jurisdiction of both PMOs.
The Basic Port Orientation Seminar required under AO 09-2020 as a post-approval condition in the grant of PTO should be undertaken in the PMO which issued the PTO.
Third-party registration in trucking associations should be voluntary and will not be required in registration or issuance of any authority to operate within any port under PPA’s jurisdiction.
Truckers since 2019 have been opposing PPA’s requirement for accreditation, saying they already comply with regulations of many other regulatory government agencies.
READ: Shipping lines, truckers not exempt from PPA accreditation
The Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO), in a recent statement reiterated its opposition to the implementation of the PTO requirement. ACTOO said if PPA’s basis for the policy is to generate a database of trucks entering the ports, such information may be secured from trucking groups and associations.
This, ACTOO noted, will lessen the regulatory burden of truckers which already comply with the requirement of other regulatory agencies. – Roumina Pablo
