MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) should reactivate the National Port Advisory Council (NPAC) to carry out solutions to persistent port-related problems that have affected trade, commerce and traffic, Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday.
He said convening the NPAC will lay down the policies and plans required in modernizing the country’s ports, and at the same time integrate proposed plans and initiatives by stakeholders to improve the national port system and maximize vital linkages and ports outside Metro Manila like Batangas and Subic.
The lawmaker also urged the PPA to set aside policy differences with other government entities and instead closely synchronize its long-overdue port development plan with the Manila City government in order to permanently decongest the old Manila port, which contributes to Metro Manila’s perennial traffic problem.
The Manila city government has enforced a truck ban to solve the traffic gridlocks near the city’s port.
He said coordinating the PPA’s development blueprint with the current initiatives by Manila and the Skyway Stage 3 project will provide a long-term solution in easing gridlock in the metropolis and eventually facilitate better flow of goods and reduce man-hour losses due to traffic.
“The PPA should fasttrack its plans in modernizing seaports because they are vital for the economy and to make the country globally competitive,†said Gatchalian, who is also the vice chair for the House committees on Metro Manila development, and on housing and urban development.
The Skyway project, which will connect the South and North Luzon Expressways and North Harbor, is expected to shift container traffic from Metro Manila to nearby regions.
Gatchalian also pushed for the provision of dedicated cargo lanes and added access roads to guarantee faster movement of commodities and to lessen traffic jams in major roads.
He suggested the construction of a railway service for the transfer of cargo – especially time-critical goods such as perishable food, pharmaceuticals, electronics – as an alternative to road-based transport.
“The Netherlands has a train service transporting cargo from Amsterdam all the way to Milan in less than a day. We can look at their freight transportation as an example,†Gatchalian said.
He said the Philippines should look to Hong Kong and Singapore as models of efficient port managers.
“Ports in Hong Kong and Singapore are in the cities but they do not have congested traffic. They are very efficient in terminal times and in loading and unloading times,†Gatchalian said.