Government is set to impose a new ticketing system in its bid to promote maritime safety and zero accident before the start of the Summer Vacation. The move is consistent with the earlier pronouncement of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) advocating Zero Maritime accident which includes among others the promotion of passenger safety and security through the provision of a safe and reliable transport system.

The new system, called the Passenger Boarding Monitoring and Con­trol System (PBMCS) will be imposed by the Philippine Ports Author­ity in coordination with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Office of Transport Secu­rity (OTS).

PPA General Manager Juan C. Sta. Ana said that consistent with the mandate of the port agency to provide the sea traveling public with more efficient, appropriate and modern port facilities and equipment, the PPA continuously find ways to raise the level of efficiency in its port operations particularly on the areas of safety and security of the passengers and cargoes that pass through the sea ports.

“It has been observed that most of the sea tragedies that happened in the past were, more often than not, due to overloading of the vessels of either passengers or cargoes or even both, so that in addition to the facilities and amenities like the CCTV and adequate X-ray machines that are in place in the Passenger Terminal buildings in our ports to ensure the safety and se­curity of the passengers,” Sta. Ana said.

“We are likewise imposing the mandatory implementation of the weighbridges to ensure that the vessel will carry only its corresponding capacity load limits along with the Passen­ger Boarding Monitoring and Control System through the E Ticketing System,” Sta. Ana furthered.

The E-Ticketing System, meanwhile, hopes to address the problems that were encountered in the past that led to over­loading of passengers and improper stowage/inaccurate re­cording of weight of cargoes due to inaccurate information and statistics.

The System is expected to provide accurate data/infor­mation and statistics on passengers as well as on cargo throughput manifests; issue E-Tickets only up to the ves­sels’ corresponding load limits/maximum load capacity of passengers and cargoes respectively; will have the capabil­ity to ensure the proper stowage of containers/vans/trucks since the weight of cargoes loaded on certain vessel will be monitored accurately thus ensuring ship balance and safe travel.

Sta. Ana stressed that E-Ticketing System, once in place, will be interphased with all the involved maritime agencies particularly the PPA, PCG, MARINA, the Ship­ping Lines and other stakeholders in the ports so that every involved agency will have uniform data/information on all the vessels that will sail in every port.