RP eases shipping regulations<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): President Fidel Ramos yesterday announced
\nmeasures to further deregulate the Philippines' maritime
\nindustries, including ending exclusive port-handling contracts
\nand loosening controls on passenger fares.<\/p>\n
Ramos said existing exclusive port service contracts would no
\nlonger be renewed and that non-exclusive contracts would be
\nawarded through bidding instead.<\/p>\n
He said a full deregulation of first- and second-class
\npassenger rates had been ordered, although ships would still have
\nto devote at least 50 percent of their capacity to third-class
\npassengers, whose fares would still be regulated.<\/p>\n
Ramos said special \"tourism-oriented vessels,\" would be
\nexempted from the third-class quota in order to maintain higher
\nrevenues.<\/p>\n
This will allow them to charge even higher than other ships
\n(since third-class fares are still regulated) and will spare
\ntourists from having to rub shoulders with Filipino plebeians.<\/p>\n
Critics of the previous system say that the exclusive port
\ncontracts have led to inefficient, high-priced monopolies in
\nsmall ports while the controls on passenger fares have caused a
\ndrop in standards with ships being jampacked beyond their
\ncapacities.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-eases-shipping-regulations-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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