State-run Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has ordered the mandatory planting of trees and mangroves for every issued contract, accreditation and permit.
PPA Administrative Order No. 14-2020 requires applicants/grantees of contracts, accreditations and permits, among others, to plant 1,000 seedlings of trees or mangroves in coordination with the local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) within their respective business locations.
The order will be effective on February 2, 2021, 15 days after the publication period this month.
Jay Daniel Santiago, PPA general manager, said this will be the new norm in the agency in granting contracts in compliance with Republic Act 9729, or the Climate Change Act of 2009.
“All grantees or persons or entities applying with the PPA for the issuance of accreditation certificate, certificate of registration (COR), appointment and authorization, including those awarded with contracts for the provision of services in the ports, are subject to the condition that the applicant/grantee shall plant trees and/or mangroves,” Santiago said.
“This order will be the PPA’s humble contribution to the country’s move towards a greener environment which in turn will be beneficial to the future generation,” he added.
Santiago said compliance with the requirements shall be made not later than one year after the issuance of the documents or from the effectivity of the order, whichever comes first.
He said non-compliance will be enough ground for the cancellation of accreditation, permit to operate, certificate of registration, appointment or contract, or the non-renewal of these.
Besides the 1,000 seedlings, the PPA order also mandates the different port service providers to plant the following additional number of seedlings: port terminal operator, 100,000; cargo handling operator, 50,000; passenger terminal building operator, 50,000; roll-on roll-off operator, 25,000; private port operator, 500,000; and harbor pilot, 10,000.
The order also provides that contractors of the agency for the supply of goods and services must plant at least 1,000 seedlings for contracts amounting to P5 million, and another 1,000 seedlings for every additional P5 million contract amount or fraction thereof.
The applicant/grantee, meanwhile, shall coordinate with the local Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) or concerned office or unit of the DENR for the type of seedlings and the location where these are to be planted.
Once completed, the grantee shall secure a certificate of completion from the said office which shall be submitted to the PPA where the document was secured or awarded.
To ensure that the order is strictly followed, all PPA Port Management Offices and Head Office Responsibility Centers shall monitor compliance and coordinate with the CENRO. =
