Figure 20. Port Revenues Generated, March 2019 and March 2020

from Western Visayas COVID-19 Regional Recovery Plan

Policy and Legislative Reforms

Despite travel restrictions, port revenues still increased. During the 60-day lockdown, the frequency of RORO trips decreased by 75 percent due to limitations in rolling cargoes and no passengers were yet allowed to travel. A comparison of data on port revenues generated from March 2019 and March 2020 showed that despite the restrictions imposed, total port revenues for Western Visayas still managed to increase by 0.04 percent with Panay/Guimaras PMO having a positive variance of 0.12 percent. A significant decrease in revenue of 24.99 percent, however, was noted in Negros Occidental.

The increase in revenues generated by PMO Panay/Guimaras was attributed to the spike in nondirect port income or other income. Compared with the PhP4.1 million generated in March 2019, revenue increased to PhP15.5 million in March 2020. Of the total non-direct port income, leases and rentals of space contributed the most at PhP13.6 million, comprising 29.14 percent of overall port revenues generated in March 2020. On the other hand, there was a decline in revenues generated from port dues, dockage fees, wharfage, storage fees share on arrastre/stevedoring income and pilotage.

Decrease in the number of inbound and outbound ship calls and passengers. With travel restrictions imposed in March 2020, there was a decrease in the number of inbound and outbound ship calls for Panay and Guimaras, as well as for Negros Occidental, compared to March 2019. In Negros Occidental, San Carlos terminal port and Paco Beach (a government port) registered about 65 percent decrease vis-à-vis the March 2019 record for shipcalls. On the other hand, Fort San Pedro (Iloilo City) and Jordan Port (Guimaras) showed significant increases in inbound and outbound shipcalls at roughly 350 percent and 148 percent, respectively.