Tensions flared at the Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro on Monday after a new port service provider previously run by a local cooperative there changed.
According to Jay Santiago, general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority, the service provider contract with the new company Prudential Customs Brokerage Services Inc. (PCBSI) was awarded on June 30.
He said the hold-over authority of the Calapan Service Development Cooperative (Calsedeco) is no longer valid due to the entry of PCBSI.
Calsedeco’s contract expired in 2016 and was only given hold-over authority not to delay operations at Calapan Port, Santiago added.
Tensions rose on Monday when PCBSI employees, including the port police, allegedly tried to change cargo handling and forwarding operations at Calapan Port.
Calsedeco employees allegedly objected to this as a reason for some lawmakers to intervene.
According to the Manila Times, Calsedeco said it is possible that about 200 of its employees will lose their jobs, and their 11,000 members will be affected.
According to the PPA, the new service provider will hire qualified port workers in Calapan.
Tensions flared at Calapan Port due to cargo handlers replacement
“Isa sa mga obligasyon nila ‘yan na kunin at tanggapin ‘yung mga kuwalipikadong port workers,” said Santiago.
In a decision issued Monday, the Regional Trial Court Branch 22 in Manila dismissed Calsedeco’s petition for a temporary restraining order.
“Lumabas na po ang ORDER ng REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 22, Manila hinggil sa petisyon ng CALSEDECO para TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, at ito po ay DENIED,” according to a PPA-Mindoro statement on Facebook.
“Ito po ang lalong nagpapatibay na walang awtoridad ang Calsedeco bilang cargo handling operator ng Calapan Port. Nawa po ay igalang ng lahat ang batas,” it added.
The Port of Calapan or the Calapan Baseport is a seaport in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro in the Philippines. It is the main port serving Oriental Mindoro. The port has at least seven berths that can accommodate fast craft, conventional, and RoRo vessels. Primary items handled at the port are agricultural products such as copra, rice, and banana for outgoing cargo and cement, fertilizer, and general commodities.
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