Hontiveros warns new port order could kill thousands of jobs in logistics, seeks probe

Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution urging the Senate to investigate the implementation of the recent administrative order from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), which she says could eliminate the livelihood of thousands of port workers and cargo handlers in the country.

In proposed Senate Resolution No. 775, Hontiveros said that the Senate must act on the allegations surrounding PPA-AO No. 12-2018, an administrative order issued by the Philippine Ports Authority, which especially threatens the small stakeholders in the shipping industry.

"Kailangan nating protektahan ang kabuhayan ng libu-libong port workers, cargo handlers, at iba pang mga nagtatrabaho sa shipping industry. Napakahalaga ng papel nila sa ekonomiya lalo na ngayong may pandemya. Huwag nating hayaan na marami ang biglaang mawawalan ng trabaho dahil na rin sa patakaran ng pamahalaan," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros explained that PPA-AO No. 12-2018 implements a so-called "Port Terminal Management Regulatory Framework," which, in part, mandates that contracts for operation and management of ports under PPA jurisdiction must be awarded to parties offering the highest concession fees in a public bidding.

She furthered that the implementation of the AO should be examined to ensure that economic disruption to the dockworkers is minimized and that the public bidding was fair and above board.

"Nagkaroon ba ng konsultation sa stakeholders bago iimplement ang AO? Because this new framework may unduly favor large corporations who have the capital to offer drastically higher concession fees than cooperatives and local small businesses. The framework effectively threatens to displace thousands of workers from these existing concessionaires who are no match to big businesses," she said.

The senator cited the experience of hundreds of cargo handlers and other port workers from the Calapan Labor Service Development Cooperative (CALSEDECO) in Oriental Mindoro, who are now in danger of losing their jobs after the PPA entered into a new contract with a private firm for services formerly provided by CALSEDECO. Earlier this week, CALSEDECO workers even figured in a standoff with port police and the employees of the new service provider, who were trying to assume operations in the port.

Hontiveros warned that if the government fails to streamline and fix existing rules on awarding concession agreements soon, similar disputes might start to emerge in other port areas around the country.

"Kung magkakaroon ng tensyon sa maraming pantalan, siguradong mapaparalisa ang operasyon ng shipping at cargo delivery, at maapektuhan ang ating ekonomiya," she said.

"Mahalagang aksyunan natin ito ngayon bago pa lumala. Ngayong nasa gitna tayo ng pandemiya, hindi lamang ang libu-libong kabuhayan ng mga port workers at ng kanilang mga pamilya ang nakasalalay sa isyu na ito, kundi pati ang ekonomiya ng buong bansa," Hontiveros concluded.