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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Group backs Manila North Harbor terminal privatization
THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) came up with an industry-wide position supporting the privatization of Terminal One of the North Harbor through public bidding.
In a consultation with industry leaders and shipping operators, the PCCI board of directors, through its transportation committee, agreed on the urgency to modernize the operations of North Harbor by privatizing operations of its Terminal One.
In its letter to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), the PCCI recommended that the privatization of Terminal One be done as soon as possible, citing the need to enunciate transparent and competitive procedures to undertake the process through a public bidding.
The PCCI also recommended for PPA to continue operating Terminal Two, while undertaking a thorough review and benchmarking on the need to modernize its operation for further privatization efforts.
"It is necessary for the business community through our upstream and downstream stakeholders agree on a common position to address this issue. I think with this breakthrough, we can now move forward with ease and confidence that the privatization of Terminal One will benefit both our port users and consumers," said PCCI president Donald Dee.
PCCI also recommended the following to be considered by the PPA:
* Allow Harbor Center to operate in competition with Terminals 1 and 2;
* Allow South Harbor to continue operating in competition with the above; and
* Acknowledge that competition would mean allowing same kinds of services to each of the competing terminals/ ports.
The PCCI also reiterated its earlier position for PPA to strictly implement the compulsory use of weighing scales for all cargo that enters Philippine ports across the country and that the PPA should make sure that ports strictly comply with domestic and international safety standards.
The chamber recommended that the PPA should coordinate with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for the implementation of coherent and consistent policies in cargo and road network management. (Press release)
(May 17, 2006 issue)
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