manila port congestion

Transcript of Sen. Bam Aquino’s Interview after the 2nd Port Congestion Hearing

Iyong problema natin sa port congestion, physically, medyo gumaganda na. Iyong paglabas ng mga containers tumataas na.  In fact, mas mataas na siya bago nagkaroon ng truck ban.

Pero iyong charges, naroon pa rin. Iyong increased charges na iyan ang nagdudulot ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin.

We really have to look at the charges that are being imposed on the different stakeholders.

Iyong isang pinanggagalingan ng charges, mula sa shipping lines, we need to see kung justifiable ba talaga ang charges na iyon o hindi.

Mayroong mga charges na opisyal at mayroon ding unofficial o iyong tinatawag nating under the table. Iyon din, kailangang matigil din para mabalik natin ang sitwasyon iyong bago ang truck ban at ma-prevent natin ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin.

 

Q: Iimbitahan ba ang shipping lines sa next hearing?

A: Yes. Ganito kasi iyan, iyong truckers pag dinadala iyong container, dinadala iyan to a specific container yard. At iyong partnership na iyon ay between the container yard at shipping line.

So walang rason, pagdating ng trucker doon sa container yard, sasabihan siya wala nang space. Ibig sabihin doon, hindi nagkaroon ng pagkakaunawaan ang container yard at shipping line.

Ang trucker naman, pinaalis siya walang space, dumadami ang oras na naha-hire siya, tumataas ang sinisingil niya sa importer. Ang importer naman i-cha-charge iyon sa taumbayan.

Kaninong responsibilidad na mayroong container yard, siyempre sa mga shipping lines iyon.

Ang masakit diyan, iyong shipping lines natin, kapag late binalik ang container, icha-charge ka pa rin.

In short, some of these charges need to be investigated. DTI has volunteered na tipunin ang mga shipping lines. I-analyze ang mga charges na ito at tingnan kung ano ba ang justifiable at iyon ba ang mamimihasa na lang. Nag-iba na ang sitwasyon at kailangan nang ibalik iyon sa dati.

 

Q:  Mas gusto pa nga nilang nade-delay, dahil higher ang charges ng shipping lines.

 A: Hindi lang shipping lines.

Marami pong mga elemento, na may gusto nilang may delay, gusto nila may inefficiency at gusto nilang may congestion kasi nakakapag-charge sila, nakakahingi sila under the table, ang talo diyan ang taumbayan.

Kaya dapat isa-isahin natin ito at tingnan natin ang mga charges na unjustifiable na. Ano ba ang mga proseso na nakakadagdag sa problema, legal processes.

We talked to Customs and BIR today, baka may proseso sila na dapat bawasan na and of course, i-curb natin ang corruption.

Sabi nila noon daw, may pang-tip sila, tagbe-bente pesos, iyong mga ganun daw libu-libo na daw ngayon.

We have to stop that and we can only stop that one is meron tayong monitoring, two mayroon tayong enforcement may nakukulong dahil sa bribes na iyan. At hindi lang siya sa government dahil sa private sector may pangyayari ding ganyan.

Pangatlo, we really need to push for technology dahil ito ang nakikitang solusyon dito. Kung mayroon tayong ticketing system o tracking system, hindi na magkakaroon na nagta-trapik sila, nagsasabay-sabay, nakapila sa port na wala namang negosyong makukuha.

If we have that technology, which these days din a ganun kahirap iyon, and they were following the system, it will help our truckers in terms of their efficiency and at the same time, puwede pang bumaba ang kanilang sinisingil dahil mas efficient sila.

 

Q: Do you agree to the proposal na no-human contact, no-paper policy?

 A: Ganoon po talaga dapat. As soon as possible dapat. In  fairness, kumuanti na nang kumaunti iyon through the years. Ngayon, talagang less and less na ang nakikita mo.

Pero siguro if we can implement that, not just for port operations, but for BIR and Customs, it will help solve corruption.

 

Q: May ilang foreign business groups na nagsabing they will stop business sa Pilipinas kapag di na-solve ang port congestion.

A: Kung mayroon silang mga issue, temporary lang iyan. Kung tutuusin, iyong ekonomiya natin ngayon, we’re the best economy in the ASEAN.

Mahihirapan sila na hindi i-access ang market natin. Maybe pansamantala, they’re having some issues but as fast as we solve this problem, they will be back because this is a huge market.

They need the Philippines to do business well.

 

Q: So hindi dapat balewalain ang threat na iyon?

 A: Siyempre hindi. Lahat ng negosyo dito iyong ang hinihikayat natin. We want more foreign investments in the Philippines, we want more trade to happen. That’s why patuloy itong mga hearing at patuloy ang pagresolba ng isyung ito.

 

Q: Do you think we can manage the influx of goods this Christmas season?

 A:  Since we started this hearing, marami nang improvements. Each step na may bagong improvement, may bago ring na-uncover na problema.

Palagay ko, ang kinakailangan naming gawin, bilang Committee on Trade, is to make sure na ang solusyon natin all the way.

Hindi puwedeng halfway lang. Pakakawalan natin and in a year’s time, ito na naman ang problema.

We have to go all the way.

If you notice na sa hearing natin, we went from short term to medium term to long term. The best way to resolve these issues, gawin natin ang short term sa mabilis na panahon pero huwag pakawalan ang medium at long term solutions kasi iyon ang magdidikta kung mangyayari pa ito uli o we can really move forward and improve our port situation and our economy and make sure na hindi magtaasan ang presyo ng produkto.

 

Excerpts from the Interview of Sen. Bam Aquino during the Manila Port Inspection

Q: Sir, ano po ang assessment at findings ninyo sa Port Inspection?

A: So far, iyong problema ng physical congestion na-resolve na kasi itong areas na pupuntahan natin, a few months ago, may daloy na ang daan.

Kaya lang ang tanong ko, bakit marami pa ring nagko-complain?  Marami pa ring nagsasabi na hindi ganoon kabilis ang paglabas pasok ng produkto sa ports natin.

In the next hearing, we’re going to tackle this. Previously, kahit si Secretary Almendras, na-mention na rin niya na may mga corruption issues tayo dito. May mga grupo, mga nilalang na pilit na nag-e-extort sa mga truckers natin, kaya hindi ganon kabilis ang pasok ng mga goods natin.

So in short, we’re trying to tackle this problem one step at a time. At least iyong physical congestion, nakikita natin malapit na iyong solusyon diyan o nangyayari na iyong different solutions. Nagkakaroon na ng technology.

Iyong pagtanggal ng truck ban nakapag-ease ng traffic natin at iyong daloy ng produkto. Mayroon pa ring natitirang problema na kailangang tugunan.

One I think at the minimum, we need to be able to resolve iyong mga corruption issues at the ports. Makita natin na walang extra charges o mga fake charges na binibigay mga negosyante natin. Mahalagang bagay iyon.

Pangalawa, pag-usapan ang long-term solutions.  For example, the connector roads. Iyong paglatag ng bagong rail facilities natin. I think this also needs to be discussed para makita natin na ang solusyon natin sa port congestion ay hindi pangmabilisan kundi pangmatalagan.

 

Q: Nabanggit po ba sa inyo ni Secretary Almendras kung saan nanggagaling ang corruption, sinong tao o sinong organization?

A: Sa October 16, we’ll have a second hearing, Ilalantad din namin iyong iba’t ibang reports na nakukuha namin.

Iyong mga charges kasi dito plus P2,000, P3,000, P4,000 per container per trip.

This is an added cost na at the end of the day, makakadagdag sa presyo ng bilihin so we need to make sure that even if mga ganitong bagay matanggal din natin.

Ang nangyari kasi diyan, noong nagka-port congestion tayo, may mga tao talagang kumita. Sabi nila, gusto ninyong mabilis na malabas ang container ninyo, magbayad ka.

We’re still trying to get to the bottom kung anong grupo at kung sino ang may kinalaman dito.  Parang mga vulture ito na noong makaamoy ng problema, pinagkakitaan. They took advantage of the problem.

Ngayon, as we can see, wala na talagang physical congestion, mas cleared na ang roads natin pero mayroon pa ring ganitong practice.

We need to get to the bottom of this at kung may kailangang reforms na gawin, we need to be able to make sure na hindi ito nakakadagdag sa mga problema natin.

Ito ang tinatawag nating under the table fees. Ito iyong mga illegal na fees na dinadagdagan ang charges natin. Siyempre illegal yan, nakakabagal iyan ng flow ng ating goods and services.

So we’re hoping na apart from the physical congestion problem na nakita naman natin kanina na okay na, itong mga problema na nakakabagal ng paggalaw ng ating goods, ito siguro ang isa pang bagay na dapat nating tingnan.

On October 16, nag-invite kami ng ibang resource speakers, mga truckers, mga negosyante at doon nila ikukuwento iyong mga extra fees na sinisingil sa kanila at kung sino ang mga naniningil sa kanila.

 

Q. Sir sasabihin ba talaga ng nasa likod ng katiwalian?

A: May mga pinakita rin kanina, so hopefully we will be able to uncover this. Even in the last hearing namin, may tinatawag na along the way fees. One of the businessmen mentioned na maraming along the way fees na nangyayari so kahit ito gusto nating mahimay, malaman talaga kung saan nanggagaling, saan napupunta.

 

Q: Ilan bang klaseng along the way fees? Kunwari bawat stop…

A: Mas magandang galing sa kanya ang sagot. Hindi ko masasabi at hindi rin nila nasabi kung ilan.

 

Q: Magkano inaabot ang all the way fees?

A: Per container libu-libo. Ayaw ko pong bigyan ng range. Anyway doon na lang sa next hearing para sa kanila talaga galing.

Ang balak ni Secretary Almendras na bring the importers to the ports and show them na walang rason para magbayad pa sa kung sino para mag-unahan sa paglabas.

Kanina nakita ninyo napakaayos ng daloy. In fact, they could even say maluwag, although Tuesday is a light day.

But still, there’s no reason for that. For the importers, dapat huwag rin silang magbayad cause wala ring rason na magbayad.

 

Sen. Bam renews call to eliminate corruption in Port of Manila

Senator Bam Aquino reiterated his call to concerned authorities to eliminate corruption, extortion and other illegal activities in and around Port of Manila as they contribute to congestion, traffic and high prices of goods.

“If we’re going to fix this, we should do it completely and we should solve the issues for the long-term,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“We should get rid of illegal activities such as extortion because they hamper the delivery of goods and contribute to the increase in prices of goods and services,” he added.

The senator said the government should apply the full force of the law against corrupt individuals who hamper port operations through their illegal activities.

“The government must show that it means business by going hard against these individuals who are making a living through illegal means,” he said.

Aquino renewed his pronouncement after Malacanang noticed that extortion activities in and around the port contributes to port congestion.

The senator made the same call during the first Senate hearing on port congestion where stakeholders complained about the “along the way” fees being collected by unscrupulous individuals.

“While decongesting our port is the main priority, concerned government agencies must also look at other factors that contribute to this problem, like corruption,” he said.

Aquino said extortion and corruption contribute to inefficiency, delaying the processing and delivery of shipments and discouraging truckers and shipping companies from fulfilling their obligation.

“Ultimately, the consumers will bear the full brunt of this because shipping companies will pass on to them their additional losses,” Aquino said.

The lawmaker also encouraged victims to come forward and file a case or complaint against those behind these illegal activities.

“We need the cooperation of everyone to combat corruption. As they say, evil will prevail if good men do nothing,” Aquino stressed.

The senator said complaints can be coursed through the WASAK or Walang Asenso sa Kotong Hotline (16565 and 0908-8816565) where entrepreneurs can air complaints against public officials.

Transcript of Sen. Bam Aquino During the Budget Hearing of DTI

On Port Congestion

 

SECRETARY GREGORY DOMINGO: The problem came in three phases and each phase had a different sort of problem although they were quite interrelated. The first phase was when the Manila truck ban was imposed in February and for the next month or so, the problem was the movement of trucks in and out of the port.

When we talk about the port congestion, tatlo iyon. One is the truck capacity in and out. The second is the container yard capacity and third is the ship site capacity, which is the loading and unloading of vessels.

Sa first phase po, ang problema doon ay truck capacity. Nalimit ang ikot ng truck so nangyari po, ang ship site di tumigil dahil padating pa rin ang barko so na-affect ang container yard capacity.

Umakyat po nang umakyat iyong number of containers sa port so iyon po ang second phase naman.

Una, iyong truck capacity ng impact for one month. After one month, napuno po ang ating container yard so it became a container yard limitation. Plus, the truck capacity limitation tapos nung naresolba na iyong mga truck ban tsaka nakagawa ng ruta, we moved to the third phase, which was about a month ago wherein the truck capacity limitation were basically improved drastically.

Ngayon, ang lakas na po ang daloy ng truck. Before Thursday, Friday last week, we were doing 9,000 trips per day from a low of 3,000 a day during the truck ban.

Pero ang nangyari po ngayon is, ang problema ngayon nag-iba na. Iyong ship site ang naging problema because there are more containers being brought in than being taking out.

Ngayon, ang container yard capacity umakyat po ang utilization. ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.) is about 100 percent while ATI (Asian Terminals, Inc.) is about 92 percent.

Pag masyadong mataas ang container yard utilization, lalagyan na naman nila ng containers ang circulation roads which limit the movements of the crane, movements of the truck. Baka ma-affect na naman ang throughout ng trucks so doon po tayo.

Ang solution po dati ay utilize Batangas port. Now Batangas port is now fully utilized. Gamit na gamit po ang Batangas port ngayon.

Pangalawa po, we are now using the port five out of seven days a week. That’s a 20 percent limitation on capacity. We are now encouraging the companies at saka mga brokers and everybody to utilize the extra two days.

Kung magawa po ang extra two days na iyon, then ma-stabilize ang situation po. Then pagdating ng first quarter during the lean season, then we can clear a lot of the congestion sa port.

Pero now na ‘ber’ months na tayo where iyong dating ng containers ay napakalaki, mahirap nating ma-reduce ang port congestion. All we can hope for is really optimize it para hindi ma-hamper masyado ang movement ng goods.

 

Sen. Bam Aquino: During our hearing, napag-usapan iyong pagbabawas ng mga containers and I think the goal was x thousand a day na mailalagay sa PEZA zones.

 

Has that helped out? Nabawasan ba ang containers natin because of those new areas?

A: From our last hearing po, lahat po ng nasabi roon, karamihan nagawa na po. Like the movement of containers to the port, iyong movement of seized containers ng Customs so that’s in fact some is ongoing still. Iyong pagbukas po ng container yards outside the port, gaya sa PEZA, nangyari na po. So marami na pong nadagdag na container yard capacity.

 

Q: But has that lessen the number of containers? If I’m not mistaken, 80,000 containers ang capacity. And you wanted it to bring down to 60 to 65 thousand right?

A: Nasa mga 78,000 yata po tayo ngayon.

 

Q: So by three thousand natin naibaba because ber months na, mas dumarating ang mga ships basically?

A: Oho, tsaka hindi nailalabas ang containers. Let’s say mag-unload tayo ng 4,000 containers, pero mag-lo-load tayo 3,000 lang kaya nadadagdagan per day. Kailangan mag-usap talaga ay with the shipping lines but they have to cooperate.

 

Q: How about domestic shipping lines natin?

A: Hindi po affected.

 

Q: So the port congestion issue, you’re saying, will continue until 2015?

A: Opo.

 

Q: We’re hoping na kapag nag-lean months in the first quarter of 2015, doon tayo mas magbabawas ng containers

A: Opo, during the first three months of 2015.

 

Q: The traffic in NLEX that happened for a few days, that’s a direct consequence of us opening up the lanes sa port?

A: Ang understanding ko po hindi nasunod ang ruta. Na-divert to smaller roads kaya nagkabuhol-buhol po ang traffic.

I guess we didn’t have enough enforcers so it was being ran by the local city government iyong enforcement. So now ang dinecide po ng Palasyo is that the routes going from NLEX to the port will be manned by MMDA and the national police.

 

Q: That special route will be there until 2015?

A: Until ma-resolve po ito. Hopefully, first quarter of next year.

 

Q: There’s no other way to speed up the process of taking out the containers?

A: Kung magawa natin seven days a week. Napaka-critical po iyon. If we’re able to use the additional 20 percent, that will solve almost all of our problems.

 

Q: From the time we had a hearing, di pa rin operational ang port ng weekends and Monday morning?

A: We’ve been pushing. The chambers are part of the task force. Hindi rin nila matulak.

 

Q: Kanina, secretary you mentioned the 9,000 trips?

A: In and out po.

 

Q: Roughly we can only do maximum 4,500 na release per day? We cannot increase that 4,500 to a higher amount?

A: Puwede po. May nakita na po akong report na umakyat ng 9,300. I think hanggang 10,000.

 

Q: So we need to basically, kung one, we need to work during the weekends and that’s dependent on the private sector and our processes need to double out para pabawas tayo at hindi padagdag.

 

 

Speed Up Decongestion of Port to Ease Traffic – Sen. Bam

Senator Bam Aquino called on the government to speed up the process of port decongestion so as not to further burden the motorists and commuters who are already affected by the everyday traffic jams in Metro Manila.

“While decongesting Port of Manila is important, we must also guarantee that the public interest and welfare will not be compromised,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

At the same time, the lawmaker called on concerned government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to ensure that traffic enforcers are in place to help alleviate the traffic problem.

Aquino also appealed to the public to bear with the heavy traffic in the next two weeks due to the government’s campaign to decongest the Port of Manila.

“We ask the public to further stretch their patience as the government solves the port decongestion problem that we are facing right now,” said Aquino.

Aquino said the government has no other recourse but to implement drastic measures to decongest the country’s main port, saying this problem will worsen if not immediately addressed.

“Many businesses will be affected and prices of goods will go up if this port congestion problem persists and we must not allow this to happen,” the senator explained.

Aquino said the public would ultimately benefit once the port congestion problem is solved.

From September 8 to 21, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will implement the last mile route, which will enable trucks to ply main roads, even during truck ban hours, provided that they carry cargo for shipment to their designated end-points.

Last month, Aquino’s committee investigated the port congestion problems and came up with several proposals to help solve the problem.

During the hearing, the city of Manila agreed to open more trade lane routes for trucks while concerned government agencies committed to work during weekends to hasten the releasing process in the port.

Sen. Aquino’s committee is expected to visit the Port of Manila later this month to check if there are improvements or if additional changes are necessary.

Transcript of Senator Bam Aquino’s Interview after the Manila Port Congestion Hearing

QUESTION: Ano po ang update sa port congestion hearing?

SEN. AQUINO: Nagrereklamo ang private sector na hindi binubuksan ang port pag weekends, at kung Monday morning. Ngayon nagkakasundo na para ma-decongest talaga ang port natin, kailangan ng extraordinary measures.

The City of Manila is already doing a lot in terms of changing the regulations.

Kailangang papasukin natin ang government agencies ng weekend at Monday mornings para masiguro natin na mas mahaba iyong hours of operation po natin sa port.

 

QUESTION: How about banks, kasi closed iyong banks, isa rin sa itinuturong dahilan?

SEN. AQUINO: Madali namang pakiusapan kahit isa o dalawang branch in that area na magbukas.

Alam ninyo ang isyu na ito, mahalagang mahalaga po ito. Hindi po ito puwedeng palampasin lang. Ang presyo ng bilihin natin, stocks sa merkado, ito po ang nanganganib diyan.

Kailangan ho talaga lahat ng grupo, whether private sector or public sector, nagtutulungan po para maresolba ang isyung ito. Kung hindi magtataas po ang presyo natin at iyon ang ayaw nating mangyari.

 

QUESTION: Ang four weeks, experimental lang ba iyon?

SEN. AQUINO: No. Right now dalawa kasi ang problema. Una kailangan natin ng long-term solution. Dahil kaya po nangyayari ang port congestion, dahil nasa full capacity na siya. Konting aberya lang, nagkakagulo na lahat. So a long-term solution is needed.

Kailangang i-expand natin ang port, palakasin ang Batangas at Subic.

But iyong short-term problem natin, punung-puno na po ang ports natin at kailangan nang madaliin iyong proseso ng pagtanggal ng containers.

So iyong PEZA magbubukas ng area para kunin ang container. Magbubukas po ng Sabado, Linggo at Monday morning para matanggal ang containers doon.

Ang Manila po, nagbukas na po ng mga lanes para mas mabilis ang pagtanggal ng containers.

Sa short-term solution, kailangang magtulungan lahat. Hindi puwedeng Manila lang, national agency lang. Kailangan ang private sector at public sector nagtutulungan para ma-resolve ito at the same time, kailangan ng long-term solution kasi kung hindi, babalik at babalik ang problemang ito.

 

QUESTION: Ano po ba ang tinutukoy ni Mr. Cheung ng “expenses along the way?”

SEN. AQUINO:  Hindi nga nilinaw ni Mr. Cheung kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. Pero palagay ko siyempre iyong paglilinis dito sa ating mga sistema, sana linisin natin ang korupsiyon sa Port Area.

 

QUESTION: May deadline kung kailan matatapos ang clearing para ma-normalize ang operation?

SEN. AQUINO: Kahapon po ang deadline.

Sa totoo, the more that this congestion happens, the more na nanganganib po ang ating stocks, iyong ating mga presyo, iyong kapakanan po ng taumbayan.

They need to move fast and hopefully, we’ll have a hearing again in five weeks, may makita po tayong totoong resulta sa ating hearing na talagang na-decongest po ang ating ports.

 

QUESTION: Nakaapekto ba ang truck ban sa port congestion?

SEN. AQUINO: I guess, sabi ni Vice Mayor Isko, siguro naging sindi sila sa doon problema but to be very frank, hindi na ito truck ban problem dahil they changed the regulation.

Sabi nga niya, lahat ng hiningi ng national government, binigay naman nila. In fact, gumagawa na sila ng express trade lanes, mula sa South Luzon papunta sa Port diretso, and they’ll be operating that next Monday.

Manila has already done its share, kung ano ang kaya niyang gawin para maresolba ang isyu.

Right now, it’s really a matter of cooperation between the truckers, the logistics, the owners of the containers, ating private at iba’t ibang ahensiya. Kailangang magtulungan talaga.

 

QUESTION: Iyong process sa pagpapalabas ng containers, will you look into that?

SEN. AQUINO: Yes, in fact may na-mention rin kanina tungkol sa corruption issue. I think na-mention ng isang resource speaker na mga along the way fees na hindi nado-document, kailangan ding tingnan iyon.

If we’re going to fix this problem, ayusin na natin ng lubus-lubusan. Hindi lang pansamantala, let’s go for long-term solutions.

Linisin natin ang problema, let’s make it more efficient. Huwag nating hayaang tumaas ang presyo ng bilihin dahil dito.

Probe Port Congestion Immediately! – Sen. Bam

Worried about its negative effect on prices of commodities and in the operations of local businesses, importers and exporters, Senator Bam Aquino has filed a resolution seeking a probe on the worsening cargo congestion at the Port of Manila.

 Aquino said the problem must be addressed quickly because the longer it sticks, prices of goods carried by importers and exporters will continue to rise.

“We will prolong the agony of the public if we will not help government agencies find ways to address the gridlock in the ports that led to untimely delays in shipment of goods, said Aquino.

In his Senate Resolution No. 809, Aquino stressed that delays in the cargo deliveries affected prices of agricultural products.

In addition, Aquino said even manufacturers of fresh produce couldn’t fully ship out the goods due to possible spoilage because of long queues in the ports.

“Because of this, the country’s exports have become highly uncompetitive,” added the senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

The Bureau of Export Trade Promotion believes that its prediction of 5.8 percent to 7.2 percent in export growth rate is not feasible because of the problem.

“The decrease in trade volume affected the law on supply and demand, which resulted in abrupt price increases,” the senator said, adding that inefficient operations of the port had an adverse effect on free enterprise and competitiveness of Philippine goods.

Aquino earlier suggested to port authorities to look into the Ports of Batangas and Subic Bay as alternative cargo drop-off points.

The senator said Vietnam also had the same congestion problem but it was solved after it diverted cargo to new alternate ports of Ben Nghe and Phu Huu, aside from upgrading the Cat Lai port.

“With the upcoming ASEAN integration in 2015, there is a need to have immediate and long-term solutions to the problems on port congestion since the flow of goods had been restricted by the issuance of policy orders of different government agencies,” the senator said.

Decongest Manila Port – Sen. Bam

 

The Port of Manila has been experiencing congestion and logistical problems, which has resulted in higher prices of goods in different parts of the country, according to Senator Bam Aquino.

“The Manila Port has had logistical nightmares recently and thus, delay in the delivery of goods and services to the provinces,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Aquino said he received reports of shortage in medical equipment such as dental needles and anaesthetics in Mindanao due to the slow movement of shipments from Manila.

“The prices of dental needles went up from P600 to almost P2,000. Even if you have the money, still you cannot find one in drugstores and other medical companies because of delay in arrival of supplies from Manila,” Aquino stressed.

Logistical problem has also affected the manufacturing sector due to the late arrival of needed raw materials, hampering their production and delivery schedule.

The delay in the delivery of shipment of rice, garlic and onions also contributed to the high prices of such goods in the market.

“Businesses are affected by delays in the delivery of their shipment, forcing them to increase prices to recoup losses. The increase will then be shouldered by the helpless consumers,” the senator said.

The senator called on the administration of the Manila Port, local government of Manila, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other stakeholders to find a “win-win” solution that will address supply problem, reduce prices of commodities and solve the perennial traffic problem, all at the same time.

“I believe that all of our major problems are addressed when stakeholders gather together to solve it,” said Aquino.

Aquino said stakeholders should consider using other ports, such as the Port of Batangas, Subic and Davao, as alternative unloading points for cargo and shipments to decongest the Port of Manila.

“If the cargo is headed to Pangasinan or La Union, it would be wise to have it unloaded in Subic. This way, time and money will be saved,” Aquino said.

“If these cargoes are diverted to other ports, the number of trucks roaming around Manila will be reduced, resulting to better traffic conditions. It will be a win-win solution for everybody,” Aquino said.

 

 

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