THE Cebu Port Authority (CPA) reminded port users, clients, and employees to follow prescribed health and safety guidelines at ports at all times or risk facing penalties.
Leonilo Miole, CPA general manager, last July 24, 2020, issued Administrative 3 or the "Port Guidelines on Health and Safety Practices to Prevent the Transmission of Covid-19 and Providing Penalties/Fines therefore."
The administrative order (AO) prohibits non-wearing or improper wearing of face mask inside the port area, crowding or non-observance of social distancing, refusal to undergo temperature check, refusal to properly wash or disinfect hands prior to entering any offices or port facility, spreading false information or fake news related to Covid-19 that may cause panic among port users and port clients, and refusal to comply with any directives of the CPA and other law enforcement agents on the observance of proper health and safety protocols inside the port premises.
Miole said the CPA will also deploy its safe distancing marshals and port police officers to effectively enforce the guidelines in all ports under the administration of CPA.
The same also applies to all private ports and those ports operated by local government units.
First-time violators of the port safety protocol will be fined P200. If they are caught the second and third time, the penalty increases to P500 and P1,000, respectively.
Aside from port users and clients, the order also covers all CPA employees, agency-hired and non-organic employees such as security personnel assigned in all port terminals and offices.
Under the guidelines, the Port Safety, Security, and Environment Department shall be directly in charge or responsible for the enforcement of the health and safety protocols.
The department heads, division managers, and section chiefs shall likewise be directly responsible for enforcing it within their respective offices and among their subordinates.
Those who fail to comply and implement the provisions stipulated will also be subjected to administrative sanctions such as suspension, termination of its contract with the Authority or its non-renewal.
“This is to reiterate our commitment in enforcing our port health and safety practices and protocols to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 and compel all port users to strictly comply with the safety guidelines,” Miole said. (WBS with PR)