The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has clarified that it is not the agency that initiated the centralized ticketing system (CTS) component of the Electronic Terminal Management System (ETMS) but the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).

“No less than ARTA required the adoption by PPA of an online ticketing system,” PPA general manager Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago said on Wednesday, following the appeal of Philippine Inter-Island Shipping Association (PISA) for Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon to abrogate Administrative Order (AO) No. 12-2019 on the CTS issued by the port regulator last 18 November 2019, as well as its removal from the ETMS.

The 11 April PISA letter to Dizon -- signed by its president, Mark Mathew Parco, and executive director, Atty. Pedro Aguilar — argued that AO No. 12-2019 is without legal basis, unconstitutional and detrimental to the shipping industry, passengers and the economy as a whole.

It added that the order is unnecessary and intrusive measure that disregards existing private-sector solutions, disrupts business operations, and raises serious concerns about government overreach, data privacy and economic inefficiencies.

Santiago also belied claims by PISA that no less than two past transportation secretaries, namely Arthur Tugade and Jaime Bautista, deemed the PPA policy unnecessary and redundant, and held the same in abeyance during their terms.

“It’s not true that Secretary Tugade deemed the PPA policy unnecessary. In fact, it was during his term as PPA chairman when that policy was adopted. And it was Sec. Tugade, who gave the directive to adopt such a policy. On the other hand, Sec. Bautista signed off on the JMC (Joint Memorandum Circular) initiated by ARTA requiring the adoption by PPA of an online ticketing system for Matnog,” Santiago told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

This paper tried to get reactions from ARTA, but it has yet to respond as of press time.

Section 5 (Streamlining and Automation of Processes through a One-Stop Shop) of the JMC titled ‘Implementation of Measures to Address the Congestion In and Around the Vicinity of the Port of Matnog,” states that “To alleviate the problem of long queues and congestion, the PPA, in collaboration with the concerned agencies, shall develop an online portal wherein truckers and other rolling cargoes, vehicle owners, passengers, and other stakeholders who avail themselves of services at the Port of Matnog may reserve and pay for a ticket in advance of their arrival at the port. Payment shall be made through the online portal. Only those with confirmed online bookings, with relevant fees fully paid, will be allowed entry to the Port of Matnog.”

The JMC was signed by ARTA director general Secretary Ernesto Perez and Santiago.

In the letter of PISA to Dizon, the group argued that AO 12-2019 is an ultra vires act of PPA, stating that the PPA “is bereft of any authority to issue the questioned administrative order requiring a centralized ticketing system for domestic roro/passenger ships calling at ports under the jurisdiction of the PPA and their riding passengers.”

“Clearly, its Charter does not empower the PPA to regulate the processing, booking, or collection of payments from passengers inasmuch as the PPA’s corporate authority is strictly limited to port operations and logistics, such as berthing, mooring, towing, docking, cargo handling, and warehousing. There is no mention of ticketing, fare collection, or any authority over the financial transactions between shipping operators and passengers,” the PISA executive said, noting that Section 6(a)(v) of Presidential Decree No. 857 (PD No. 857), (PPA Charter) “does not grant the PPA the power to regulate, impose, or mandate the adoption of a centralized booking and payment system for shipping lines.”