Law Summary
Scope of Application
- Applicable to all porterage operations in all ports within Cebu Province
Key Definitions
- Porterage Service: Manual or pushcart carriage of passengers' hand-carried items, baggage, luggage, and personal belongings between the point of embarkation/disembarkation and port entrance/exit gates
- Porterage Fee: Payment made for porter services involving carriage of personal baggage, with or without pushcarts, between points within port premises
Porterage Tariff Schedule
- Fees depend on:
- Weight classification of baggage:
- Small: Up to 10 kgs
- Medium: 10.01 to 25 kgs
- Large: Above 25.01 kgs
- Actual distance traveled by porters
- Type of vessel serviced
- Weight classification of baggage:
- Charges are assessed per piece of baggage or luggage
- Detailed rate schedule specifies fees ranging from Php 10 to Php 50 depending on berth location and baggage size
Regulatory Fee
- All porterage service operators must pay an annual regulatory fee of Php 3,000, exclusive of VAT
Criteria for Operating Permit
- Applicants must demonstrate administrative capability
- Must be a recognized corporation, cooperative, or association accredited and endorsed by concerned shipping companies
- Required to register with either the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), or Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and with the Social Security System (SSS)
- Must obtain necessary licenses or permits from relevant government agencies
Operational and Administrative Requirements
- Porterage services must be voluntary; passengers cannot be compelled to use porters without consent
- Receipts must be issued and pre-numbered, indicating:
- Porterage business name
- Porter’s name and number
- Quantity of baggage handled
- Amount charged
- Receipts divided into three parts: passenger’s copy, porter’s copy, and collection booth copy
- Porter’s man-number must appear on all copies to assign liability for loss or damage
- Vessels must announce availability and rates of porterage services before berthing
- Porters to line up 10 meters from gangplank, boarding only with clearance and via designated gangplank
- CPA to post porterage rates conspicuously; rates must be strictly observed
- Porters required to wear prescribed uniforms with names and numbers, plus valid IDs inside port premises
- Pushcarts included at no extra charge, with design approval by the CPA
- Service providers must set up collection booths at operational areas
- Providers assume liability for losses or damages, capped at the value of the lost or damaged baggage
- Porter-serviced baggage exempted from Arrastre, Stevedoring, and Wharfage charges
Penalty and Enforcement
- CPA reserves the right to cancel or terminate porterage permits or contracts for violations of permit terms, CPA rules, or in the interest of public welfare
Effectivity
- The guidelines become effective upon approval and publication in a newspaper of general circulation
Porterage Service Points and Corresponding Tariff Rates
- Detailed schedule provided specifying fees for different berth-to-gate distances and various passenger terminals
- Small, medium, and large baggage rates range from Php 10 to Php 50 depending on location and service
- Shuttle bus rates also specified for various terminal transfers
- Other porterage services including berth-to-berth and terminal-to-terminal transfers are likewise priced, often calculated as multiples where applicable
This policy creates a clear and regulated framework governing porterage operations in Cebu's ports, assuring orderly services, standardized tariffs, and accountability among service providers.