To solve the perennial problem of congestion and complaints against fixers, Sorsogon’s provincial government will implement a “first-in, first-out” (FIFO) policy in the ports of Matnog, Castilla, and Pilar starting second week of December.
Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero said he had a series of meetings with concerned government agencies and private business groups to explain and get inputs for the FIFO implementation.
Escudero said the first-in, first-out policy is the immediate scheme expected to solve congestion inside the ports, especially when sea travel is suspended once signal No. 1 is hoisted in the province during bad weather.
“The queue of vehicles is kilometric outside these ports when sea travels are suspended and during holiday breaks.”
“The queue of vehicles, including buses bound for Visayas and Mindanao, is kilometric outside these ports when sea travels are suspended and during holiday breaks,” the governor said.
Aside from decongestion, he said, they would also look into reports of rampant fixing by unscrupulous middlemen who influence the scheduling of trips, such as who should leave first, and who is next.
“We are receiving complaints that these ‘fixers’ are the ones arranging the schedule of trips of the Ro-Ro vessels.”
“We are receiving complaints that these ‘fixers’ are the ones arranging the schedule of trips of the Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) vessels,” Escudero added.
He said to participate in the FIFO policy are the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), the local government of Matnog, Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Sorsogon police, Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority, and the five shipping lines operating the sea vessels.
Escudero said police teams to be deployed in the ports would help carry out the FIFO scheme and arrest fixers, while PPA would detail additional personnel outside the ports to facilitate and expedite the processing and paying of tickets and other port fees to avoid the congestion of vehicles at the vicinity of the ports.
Matnog town is the jump-off port to the Visayas and Mindanao while the Pilar and Castilla ports serve Masbate.