Port manager named OIC-GM of PPA; Pastrana out?

MANILA, Philippines — It remains unclear if businessman Christopher Pastrana is still in the running for general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), as port manager Manuel Boholano was placed yesterday as its officer-in-charge (OIC).

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles declined to comment on the nomination of Pastrana, whose name was earlier announced as the next general manager-designate of the PPA.

“There is no statement and no information on that,” Angeles said at yesterday’s press briefing. “So, it’s status quo as of the moment.”

But in a tweet posted later in the afternoon, the PPA said that Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista has designated Boholano, of the Port Management Office of Eastern Leyte/Samar, as OIC-general manager of the PPA.

The tweet said the appointment was made official as per Department of Transportation (DOTr) Special Order No. 2022-129, effective July 1, 2022.

Boholano is a career official who joined the PPA in 1988, became port manager in 2005 and has been assigned to Eastern Leyte and Samar since 2020.

In a follow-up tweet, the PPA posted in part: “Mr. Boholano shall perform and discharge the functions and responsibilities of an OIC-GM until 31 July 2022 or until a permanent GM has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first.”?

The STAR tried to get a comment from Pastrana about this development, but he did not respond to requests for an interview as of press time last night.  – Helen Flores, Rainier Allan Ronda

Pastrana was tapped for his experience as president of Archipelago Philippines Ferries Corp., which operates FastCat as well as ports and terminals, and Philharbor Ferries and Port Services Inc.

However, controversy broke out soon after the announcement of his appointment because of reports citing a conflict of interest since some of the companies he and his family were associated with allegedly had unsettled cases and unpaid penalties to the PPA.