The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it is auctioning off the contract for a “unified electronic ticketing system,” which will be implemented in all ports in the country, to provide Filipinos with digital ticketing solutions for sea voyage.
Jay Daniel Santiago, the port chief, said the new ticketing system will require the deployment of automated ticketing machines, which will be equipped with electronic reservation and ticketing assistant. It likewise provides support for an “integrated vessel booking and payment system.” Passengers may also use their mobile devices to book for tickets online.
Santiago noted that it aims to reduce human-to-human transactions to comply with the “new normal” protocols to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“It is an opportune time for us to roll this system out as there will be no interruptions. The transition to the new system will not be cumbersome,” he said.
Santiago added that the new ticketing system aims to “provide online services for the convenience and benefit of port users, attain overall ease of doing business, remove fixing and ticket scalping, and improve port processes for maritime safety and security, while providing reliable service for inter-island maritime operations.”
The new system will also help ships avoid overbooking or overloading, as seating capacities will be specified during the booking process. Santiago said his group will be “closely coordinating” with the Maritime industry Authority to ensure that the maximum number of passengers available in the online system will follow the social distancing protocols.