Tuesday, November 28, 2006 CPA tightens security in ports; order limits entry of people
AS part of its security measures, the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) will no longer allow the entry of persons who have no legitimate business in the pier area.
CPA General Manager Angelo Verdan said the new regulation is part of their “no legitimate business, no entry” policy.
The “no ID, no entry” policy was cancelled because anybody can produce an ID but still have no legitimate purpose in entering the ports, Verdan explained.
He said that a person will only be allowed entry if a passenger will justify to the guards at the gates that he or she is a companion or a relative who will help carry the baggage.
The Cebu Port Commission, the CPA’s policy-making body, has allotted more funds for additional security guards who will ensure that this new policy will be strictly enforced.
Standards
For his part, Deputy General Manager Dennis Villamor said that all the security and safety measurers that CPA is implementing can also be considered as part of domestic ports’ compliance with the International Standards for Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
At present, only the Cebu International Port (CIP) is ISPS-compliant, subject to annual evaluation by the Office of the Transport Security.
Meanwhile, Verdan said that by next week, the CPA will start buying all the trisikads plying the ports as these will soon be banned from entering the pier areas.
The CPA will buy the trisikads at P5,000 each if the owners will voluntarily surrender his unit. There are about 300 trisikads plying the pier area.
Offer
When asked if some trisikad drivers and owners will resist, Verdan said they must consider that trisikads are prohibited inside the port zone as per CPA regulation.
“If the owner (of the trisikad) does not want to take our offer of P5,000, he is free to leave the port and take the unit with him.
However, the same will happen, that he will be banned from re-entering and operating inside the port,” Verdan said.
“The CPA offer is just a form of cash assistance,” he added. (EOB)
