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The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines welcomed implementation of the Transportation Accreditation, Permits and Pass for Ports by the Philippine Ports Authority
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Under PPA Administrative Order No. 01-2022, TAPPP integrates into one document the PPA accreditation, permit to operate and vehicle pass required
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TAPPP has been serving as a single certificate of accreditation, PTO, and vehicle pass for transport service providers since January 1, 2022
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) welcomed the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) implementation of the Transportation Accreditation, Permits and Pass for Ports (TAPPP).
Under PPA Administrative Order (AO) No. 01-2022, TAPPP integrates into one document the certificate of accreditation (CA), permit to operate (PTO), and vehicle pass required by the ports authority for transport service providers starting January 1, 2022.
CTAP president Maria Zapata, in a letter dated January 20, 2022 to PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago, said the issuance of order “was of great relief to CTAP Member Port Transport Service Providers” and is “in line with the national government policy direction of ease of doing business in the logistics sector by eliminating various permits, licenses and passing through stickers of truckers by economic zones, ports and local government units.”
AO 01-2022 provides guidelines for implementing TAPPP. It covers transport service providers doing business or intending to do business in ports under PPA jurisdiction, including private ports. The order excludes commercial and technical service arrangements of port service providers and terminal operators to facilitate and expedite transactions with port users.
All applications for issuance of CA, PTO and vehicle access pass pending with PPA offices as of December 31, 2021 will be processed under AO 01-2022 and issued with TAPPP.
TAPPP will be issued by PPA to all transport service providers with existing CA, PTO and vehicle pass at no additional cost and will be co-terminus with the validity of the transport service provider’s CA.
It is valid in all ports under PPA jurisdiction, including private ports, and all transport units registered and issued under TAPPP are deemed compliant with PPA port access regulations.
Applications for issuance of TAPPP may be filed online through the PPA website in line with PPA’s digitalization and streamlining policies.
As a post-approval condition, all applicants/grantees will be required to have their designated personnel/workers attend a basic port orientation seminar not later than 30 days from the issuance of their TAPPP.
The TAPPP is valid for three years from the date of issuance. Renewal should be filed not later than 60 days before the TAPPP expires.
PPA said the TAPPP authorizes the service provider to perform or provide services inside PPA ports, including harbors, fairways, and extensions, ensuring they comply with health, safety, environmental and operational requirements of ports where services will be rendered.
The single pass will enable PPA to monitor, supervise and direct activities of port service providers while inside the port, as well as maintain a pool of qualified service providers that will continuously provide adequate, safe, and reliable port services to port users, the agency said.
Truckers have long been asking PPA to exempt them from accreditation, noting the requirement is redundant and burdensome. They said they are already being required to secure a PTO and comply with accreditation rules of other government agencies such as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office.
READ: Truckers stage protest to suspend PPA permit to operate requirement
Last year, CTAP and the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Operators staged separate trucking holidays demanding a moratorium on the implementation of the requirement for a PTO and raising several other issues at the port.
READ: PPA cuts requirements, fees of transport service providers
In November 2021, PPA issued AO 06-2021, which revised PPA’s guidelines for the application of CA and PTO of transport service providers, and reduced the processing fee for PTO applications until the end of the year. – Roumina Pablo
