Special units take over operations of 3 PPA ports

• Special takeover units (STUs) are now operating the ports of Mabila in Sarangani and Borongan in Eastern Samar, as well as the passenger terminal building of San Carlos port in Negros Occidental

• The STUs have been created by the Philippine Ports Authority to ensure uninterrupted cargo-handling and PTB services at the ports

• Management and operation of the ports will be turned over to winning bidders for new private cargo-handling service contracts that will be conducted by PPA once the STUs

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has created special takeover units (STU) to operate the ports of Mabila in Sarangani and Borongan in Eastern Samar, as well as the passenger terminal building of San Carlos port in Negros Occidental.

The Mabila Port Services (MPS), Borongan Port Services (BPS), and Passenger Terminal Building San Carlos Port Services (PTB SCPS) were created through PPA Memorandum Order No. 04-2023, MO 05-2023, and MO 07-2023, respectively.

PPA created the STUs to ensure the continuous and uninterrupted cargo-handling and PTB services at the ports following the expiration of the contracts/hold-over authorities of the cargo-handling/passenger terminal building service providers of these ports.

MPS has taken over the management, operation, development, and maintenance of Mabila port while BPS has assumed these jobs in Borongan port.

Mabila port, the main gateway to Sarangani, handles passengers while Borongan port is a general cargo and fishing port.

PTB SCPS, meanwhile, has assumed the management, operation, and maintenance of the San Carlos port passenger terminal building, which handles passengers and roll-on/roll-off cargoes.

PPA last year said it would create STUs to operate busy ports that had no cargo-handling and terminal operators. The STUs will take over and operate the ports, and may bring in the minimum cargo-handling equipment required, which they may lease from the previous operators, PPA said.

When there is no more need for the STUs, PPA will turn the management and operation of the ports over to winners of public biddings for new private cargo-handling service contracts to be conducted by PPA.

The creation of STUs is not new, as PPA has been creating such units over the past years to take over the operation of ports when necessary, such as when the contract of an existing cargo-handling operator has expired and no new operator has been selected yet.