COTABATO CITY – To ensure safety and convenience of its clientele, the Regional Ports and Management Authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RPMA-ARMM) continuously upgrades the facilities and services of ports in the region.
Ersan Warad, the regional ports authority’s general manager, said the agency recently signed a memorandum with ports officials and ARMM’s Tourism department to establish Port Tourism Information Assistance Center to strengthen the tourism industry in the region.
“Our client is our people and we want to compensate the fees our clients pay by providing them quality basic services and standardized ports. This is in adherence to the Reform Agenda of the ARMM Regional Governor, Hon. Mujiv S. Hataman,” Warad said.
During the celebration of the regional ports authority’s 18th anniversary on November 22, Warad also said they will initiate site improvement and launch a beautification drive and make the ports environment-friendly. The regional ports authority’s official distributed closed-circuit television system to base ports in Lamitan, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan.
In November last year, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the RPMA-ARMM, Office for Transportation Security, and the Department of Transportation and Communications.
The agreement strengthens the commitment of the regional ports authority in compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), including the National Security Program for Sea Port Transportation and Maritime Infrastructure to ensure the preparation of Port Facility Security Plan in each port within RPMA’s jurisdiction.
The ISPS Code is a new “mandate imposed by the IMO to its member-countries on the holistic security control of passengers, ships, cargoes and port facilities against international terrorist activities.”
As of November 2015, the RPMA-ARMM exceeded its P12-million target revenue collection, as it generated P15-million total collection from its seaport operations.
RPMA-ARMM operates the base ports in Jolo in Sulu; Bongao in Tawi-Tawi; and Lamitan City in Basilan; as well as the sub-ports of Siasi in Sulu; Maluso in Basilan; and Mapun, Sitangkai and Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi. It also exercises regulatory powers in six private ports/wharves operating in the region. (Bureau of Public Information)
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