Manila, Aug. 13 -- The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Wednesday temporarily deferred its decision on Asian Terminals Inc.'s (ATI) petition to increase the terminal fee at the Batangas Port.

In a statement, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said the port operator was seeking to increase the terminal fee from PHP30 to PHP100 in response to improvements made at the Batangas Port.

Santiago said the suspension is in response to the call of Oriental Mindoro Governor Bonz Dolor to temporarily suspend ATI's application for a terminal fee hike while the province is in a state of calamity.

He said many passengers who pass through the Batangas Port Passenger Terminal live in Oriental Mindoro.

"Matapos ang state of calamity magdedesisyon ang ...