Transparency in ports agency pushed

The new leadership at the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is moving to streamline the permitting process, improve customer service and bolster safety in line with the broader direction set by President Duterte.

The PPA is now led by general manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago. In a statement, one of his earliest “marching orders” to employees was for greater transparency at the PPA.

“The agency should also remain very transparent and accessible to the public in accordance with the new work culture being installed by the President Duterte administration,” Santiago said in the statement.

“I am also ordering the review of the current permitting processes of the agency and will personally look for ways to further reduce the burden in getting permits from PPA,” he added.

Santiago also ordered all junior and senior officials of the state agency to refrain from holding any kind of meeting during office hours since these could disrupt the delivery of public services.

“Meetings should not get in the way in the course of public service,” Santiago told PPA personnel during his first flag-raising ceremony with the agency. “It is not a reason to dispose of any of our clients.”

Santiago said the new administration wanted to promote a  “culture of safety in port operations.” This is a part value-added services in the different ports leading to the convenience of passengers as well as better efficiency and productivity for cargo operations.

Santiago was also “personally asking” the support of private sector service providers in the different ports. Specifically, they were requested “to fix all defective facilities and put it in optimum level in all their controlled ports at all times to reduce unnecessary expense that is oftentimes a pass-on cost resulting in higher ticket prices and logistics cost.”