The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is eyeing to open a one-stop shop at Matnog Port in Sorsogon province by June, the agency announced on May 25.
This was after ARTA received numerous reports of congestion of passengers, leading to extortion, at the said port, which is seen as a “funnel” to Mindanao.
According to reports provided by truck owners, fees as high as P8,000 are being asked from hauling trucks for a slot in the “priority list” to ensure that they will get on board the vessels quickly. The complainant further added that the actual fee is supposed to be more or less P3,000 only and that the amount in excess of the P3,000 goes to fixers and corrupt officials.
The alleged fixers also reportedly ask passengers for money to buy coffee and snacks.
In a meeting with private stakeholders on Friday, May 21, ARTA Undersecretary Carlos Quita said that upon receiving information from former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol of the situation more than a month ago, the ARTA management immediately coordinated with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and other concerned offices to address the matter. In response, the Matnog Municipal Police Station and other police elements initiated an entrapment operation on March 18, 2021 and arrested three fixers.
Officials of at least two shipping lines also complained of intervention in their operations from local government units, specifically by the local government unit (LGU)-created Task Force. It appears that the said Task Force has usurped the authority of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in handling the operations and management of Matnog Port.
“‘Yun nga din po ang pinagtatakahan namin, because we are operating in 30 ports nationwide, and diyan po sa Matnog Port is very different, may LGU intervention,” one shipping line official said.
“Mahirap po, hindi po maintindihan ng shipping lines, [na] kaya raw po mag-intervention ang LGU is para raw ma-streamline ang flow of operations. Pero ang tingin po namin is lalo po siyang nagulo,” they added.
Quita said LGUs have no jurisdiction over port operations and that cargo/hauling trucks should not be stopped or prevented from boarding vessels provided they have the necessary business permits, licenses, and pertinent documents.
The ARTA Deputy Director General also cited Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-01 that prohibits the unauthorized collection of fees and taxes on the transport of goods and products.
More meetings will be conducted to identify which government agencies will be involved in the one-stop shop, but the initial list includes the Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, and barge operators. (ARTA) -jlo
