Port congestion

Bam: Ingatan ang padala ng mga OFW, iwasan ang port congestion

Senator Bam Aquino called on concerned government agencies and private stakeholders to work together to prevent congestion in the Port of Manila to avoid delays in the arrival of products and packages, especially from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to their loved ones.

 “Maraming pamilya ang nag-aabang ng mga padala mula sa minamahal nilang OFWs ngayong panahon ng kapaskuhan. Sayang naman kung mabubulok lang ito sa ating mga pantalan kapag may congestion,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam made the call after an official of the Department of Transportation warned that port congestion may occur with the influx of goods and products from other countries as Christmas season approaches.

“If you remember, two years ago the port congestion was a big headache for Filipinos in Metro Manila – delivery of goods was delayed, cargo trucks caused traffic, and balikbayan boxes remained stranded in the port. We were able to solve the problem then, but we must guard against another port congestion,” the senator stressed.

During his term as chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship in the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam initiated a probe on the congestion that occurred at the Port ofManila two years ago.

 After bringing government agencies and private stakeholders in one table, the problem was ironed out after several months of investigation.

But Aquino said that the heavy volume of containers from September to December may revive the problem.

“Sa ngayon, maaaring normal ang operasyon at maluwag pa ang ating mga pantalan pero baka maulit ang port congestion sa pagdagsa ng mga kargamento sa huling bahagi ng taon. Kailangan na natin itong paghandaan ngayon pa lang,” added Sen. Bam.

Bam to Port Stakeholders: Be Ready for ‘Ber’ Months

With “ber” months just days away, Senator Bam Aquino urged government and private stakeholders to work together to ensure that there will be no repeat of the congestion that hounded Port of Manila last year.

 “Now that we have learned our lesson from last year, we must not let our guard down. This early, we must ensure that congestion will not hamper port operation during the coming ‘ber’ months,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Usually, Aquino said heavy volume of containers arrive from September to December, in time for the Christmas season.

“Sa ngayon, normal ang operasyon at maluwag pa ang ating mga pantalan.  Ngunit maaaring maulit ang port congestion sa inaasahang pagdagsa ng mga kargamento sa huling bahagi ng taon,” added Sen. Bam.

Early this year, Sen. Bam has initiated a probe on the congestion that occurred at the Port of Manila. After bringing government agencies and private stakeholders in one table, the problem has been ironed out after several months of investigation.

During the last hearing, stakeholders reported that the utilization rate at the Port of Manila is now between 70 to 80 percent. In addition, waiting time for trucks has improved while cargo ships can now load or unload cargoes in just mere hours, instead of days at the height of the congestion year.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bam expects the passage of the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act or Republic Act 10688 to help decongest the country’s major ports. The law now allows foreign ships carrying imported cargoes and cargoes to be exported out of the country to dock in multiple ports.

“This will save time, costs and energy for our exporters and importers in sending their raw materials, and goods and products in and out of the country,” the senator added.

“By allowing foreign ships to go directly to other domestic ports around the country, it will lower production costs for our entrepreneurs, free up space in the Port of Manila, improve the import and export system of the country,” Sen. Bam said.

It will also turn the shipping industry into a more modern, more equipped and more competitive sector, enabling it to keep up with other ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

Transcript of Senator Bam Aquino’s DZMM “Garantisadong Balita” interview with Gerry Baja

Q: Kumusta ho kayo sa Senado? Kumusta ang hearing sa Senado?

A: Maayos naman Gerry. Today actually ang pagbabalik ng Senate. First day ng session namin. Galing lang kami sa two-week break. So mamaya balik na naman tayo sa mga pangyayari sa Senado. Tayo naman, of course, alam mo naman ang focus namin ay trade, commerce and entrepreneurship, iyon ang ating committee.

During the break, nagkaroon tayo ng hearing sa port congestion. Siguro, sa ibang araw puwede rin pag-usapan iyon kasi kakaiba rin ang usapin diyan.

 

Q: Mukhang may epekto ho iyan sa presyo natin ngayong papalapit na ang Christmas season?

 A: Iyon talaga ang binabantayan ng Task Force Pantalan at ng ating komite na itong port congestion natin kapag naresolba na sana at the soonest possible time, hindi makakaapekto sa presyo ng bilihin. Kasi iyon naman talaga ang ayaw ng mga tao, ang tumaas ang presyo ng bilihin.

Nandiyan din ang competition bill na isang napakabigat na bill. Ito iyong anti-monopoly, anti-trust bill at mamaya tatalakayin na naman natin ito. Ito ang isa sa mga priority bills ng Malacanang at priority ng ating komite.

Meron din kaming tinatawag na cabotage bill. Hindi iyan tungkol sa cabbage gaya ng sinasabi ng ilang tao. Ang cabotage bill po ay isang panukala na kumbaga, hindi puwedeng pumunta sa local ports natin iyong mga foreign vessels.

Of course, ginawa po yan dahil sa security concerns pero nakakataas din po ito ng presyo ng bilihin dahil tumataas po ang presyo ng logistics natin. In the end, napakataas po ang pag-ship ng produkto. So again, babalik po ito sa presyo ng bilihin.

Of course, binabantayan din po natin ito. We’re hoping that with some reforms, mapababa po natin ang presyo ng pag-ship ng produktong mula sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas.

 

Q: Marami po pala kayong tinututukan diyan Senator Bam. Pero ang marami sa ating kababayan, nakakatawag lagi ng atensiyon diyan sa Senado ay iyong hearing ng sub-committee ng Blue Ribbon?

A: Hindi po ako miyembro ng sub-committee pero puwede po akong dumalo.

 

Q: Pero bakit hindi po kayo dumadalo?

A: Unang-una, ang dami nating ginagawa. Of course, pagdating kasi sa pahayagan at sa media, parang iyon na lang ang ginagawa ng Senado. Pero ang totoo, maraming ginagawa, maraming tayong bills na tinatalakay. Palagay ko ang tatlo nating kasama, sina Senators Koko, Allan at Trillanes, talagang binigyan nila ito ng buong pansin. They put a lot of focus on this, kaya palagay ko sila na lang.

Ang stand ko diyan, kahit anong isyu ng corruption puwedeng imbestigahan iyan ng Senado. Kahit vice president pa iyan, presidente pa iyan, kahit barangay captain iyan, ganon po kalawak ang kapangyarihan ng Blue Ribbon.

Lahat kaming government officials, kung may mga akusasyon sa amin, kailangan naming harapin talaga.

 

Q: Mayroon hong second invitation yata ngayon kay VP Binay para umattend. Kung kayo ang tatanungin, dapat po ba siyang humarap sa imbestigasyon ng Senado?

A: Palagay ko, ang ginagawa niya sinasagot niya ang isyu through his lawyers, sa mga presscon. Palagay ko dapat per point masagot naman niya, kasama na doon lahat.

In fact, kanina na-mention mo, bakit iyong Malampaya wala pa. Ako, kahit iyon kailangang imbestigahan natin. Hindi naman puwedeng mawala ang isyu na iyon.

Iyong issues diyan, simple lang. Kung may mga ganyang klaseng akusasyon to anyone, kahit sino pa iyan, dati o ngayon, kailangang harapin niya.

 

Q: Kayo po ay miyembro ng Liberal Party. Napagbibintangan ho dito sina Senator Cayetano na NP, si Senator Trillanes NP at si Senator Koko PDP, wala hong LP pero ang sinasabi ng Binay camp, ito’y kagagawan ng LP. May nalalaman po ba kayo roon?

A: Hindi po namin napag-usapan ang hearing ni VP Binay. We’re given the respect of our having our own independence. Kung makikita mo naman ang mga moves natin, ang mga panukalang hinahain namin, it’s really more of an individual basis at hindi block voting.

Hindi ko alam kung saan sila nanggagaling pero makikita mo naman, hindi aktibo ang Liberal sa hearing na iyan. Pero kung umabot man iyan sa main committee, gaya ng panahon ng PDAF na buong komite ng Blue Ribbon ang duminig ng issues diyan, handa naman kaming makasama at makilahok sa mga pangyayari.

 

Q: Si Mayor Junjun Binay mukhang dedesisyunan na ho dahil hindi na siya uma-attend ng hearing.  Ano ho ba ang pagkakaalam niyo sa rules ng Senado, puwede bang i-cite for contempt ang isang local chief executive na ayaw umattend ng hearing?

A: Alam mo Gerry, hindi ako sigurado sa exact na panukala. Of course, ang kapangyarihan ng Blue Ribbon Committee napakalawak niyan. I’m sure kung ano man ang i-decide ng sub-committee, baka i-raise pa iyan sa main committee, kung ganon na katindi iyan na may mga contempt charges na or mga subpoenas na ibibigay.

 

Q: Senator Bam, ano ho itong Senate Bill 2122?

 A: Na-file po namin ito noong February 12, 2014. Ito ang tinatawag nating anti-discrimination bill. Sa totoo lang, ang sakop nito ay larger than the LGBT community dahil kasama po dito ang social class, race, religion, ethnicity, civil status, medical condition status at iba pa po.

Basically, ang sinasabi po nito, hindi po puwedeng mag-discriminate based on these issues. For example, mayroong establishment, kunwari hindi ka puwedeng pumasok sa restaurang na ito dahil bading ka o iba ang relihiyon mo, o dahil mukha kang busabos. Bawal po iyon at puwede silang sampahan ng kaso.

Sa totoo lang po, nasa Constitution naman natin iyan na mayroon tayong equal protection at dapat walang discrimination pero wala pong batas na masasabi natin na nagbibigay ng penalties ukol dito.

Noong binuo po namin ang bill na ito, hindi pa po namin nasa isip talaga ang hate crime kasi ito pong isyu ni Jennifer Laude, ito lang po ang nagbigay sa amin ng ideya na maglagay ng hate crime dito.

The bill, as filed, wala pang hate crime na nakalagay. Nakatuon siya sa trabaho at government services. Na kunwari, iba ang relihiyon mo, and you’re denied basic services because of race, religion, ethnicity, LGBT, medical condition status, puwede po kayong magsampa ng kaso against all entities.

 

Q: Sino ang kakasuhan?

A: Iyong offending party. Kung sinuman ang nagdi-discriminate. Sa totoo lang po, iyong ganitong klaseng batas, hindi naman po ito bago pero sa bansa natin, bago po ito. Sa ibang bansa, pangkaraniwan na po iyan na kapag nagdi-discriminate ka, puwede ka talagang parusahan.

Ngayon pong nangyari kay Jennifer Laude na nakita naman natin na karumal-dumal na krimen, isipin niyo po kung gaano ka-grabe iyon, puwede po nating masabi na kung ang krimeng iyon ay ginawa dahil siya ay isang LGBT, puwede pong tumaas ang penalty sa probisyon na balak natin isama.

In other countries gaya po ng Estados Unidos, ang kanilang hate crime legislation, matagal na po iyan, more than one hundred years na. Doon po, kung mayroon kang krimen na ginawa sa isang minoridad, dahil siya ay isang minoridad, matindi po ang isyu ng race sa United States sa tinatawag na African-American or American-Indian. Kung gawin mo ang isang krimen, especially pag violence po ito, binugbog mo o pinatay po. Dahil may kasamang aspeto na ginawa ito sa isang minoridad, tumataas ang penalties.

Iyon po ang gusto naming idagdag dito sa batas na ito although admittedly, wala pa po itong committee hearing. Balak po naming isama po iyon na kung mayroon mang krimen corresponding to violence, assault or even murder, in this case, kapag mayroon pong elemento dahil ikaw ay isang minoridad, puwede pong itaas ang penalties na ibigay sa iyo dito.

 

Q: Pati sa edad sinabi niyo sa trabaho?

A: Iyong edad po, wala pa siya sa version na ito. Pero may ibang laws na currently pinag-uusapan natin, iyong age discrimination, isasama natin iyan pag nag-committee hearing na tayo.

 

Q: Na dapat hindi i-discriminate sa trabaho kahit may edad na?

A: Nang walang rason. Kasi po makikita niyo sa ibang fastfood. Looking for hire, cashier must be 25 and below. Walang rason. Bakit iyong 26, 27 o kahit sabihin mong 50 years old, hindi ba puwedeng magtrabaho iyon.

In a hearing, diniretso na po namin ang DOLE, puwede po ba ito o hindi. Sabi nila, hindi po puwede iyan, gumagawa ka ng discrimination sa edad nang walang rason.

Pero sabi ng DOLE, wala naman kasing batas na nagbibigay ng penalty. Ito po ang batas na magbibigay ng penalty.

Of course, iyong trabaho na pinapasukan po natin, mayroon talagang rason kung bakit kailangang ganun katanda o kabata, iba po iyon.

If there are jobs na wala naman talagang reason kung bakit kailangan 25 years old, 26 years old and below, diskriminasyon na rin po iyon.

 

Q: Malawak po talaga itong panukalang batas ninyo Senator Bam. Masasaklaw na niya lahat ng klase ng diskriminasyon, mapa-trabaho, eskuwela at sa government services. Halo-halo na.

A: Kapag nag-hearing na po tayo dito, we hope na iyong iba’t ibang grupo, na ang feeling nila kulang pa ito, puwede silang lumabas o may mga iba na magsasabing sobra naman iyan, huwag nang isama ang civil status o political inclination, public hearing naman po iyan, puwede naman pong magtalakayan ang iba’t ibang grupo doon.

 

Q: Nabanggit niyo po ang civil status, hindi kaya maging daan ang panukalang batas niyo para magkaroon ng same-sex marriage sa atin?

A: Hindi iyon ang intention ng bill na ito. Mayroon na pong isang indibidwal ang lumapit sa atin at nagsabi na baka maging inroad iyan sa same sex marriage. Ang sabi ko naman sa kanya, alam mo ang same-sex marriage, matinding talakayan iyan that needs a separate discussion altogether. Ang bill na ito ay tungkol sa diskriminasyon at ito ang nararamdaman ng maraming Pilipino sa pang-araw-araw nilang buhay.

 

Q: Ang sabi ng iba, diskriminasyon daw hong maituturing kapag ayaw mong payagan na mabigyan ng kasal ang dalawang nagsasama na pareho ang kasarian. Diskriminasyon ba iyon para sa inyo?

A: Alam mo sa totoo lang, iyan ang isang bagay na kailangan pa talaga ng talakayan sa Senado at sa Kongreso.  Kasi, kung tutuusin ang usapin ng RH, lasted 20 to 30 years. Talagang mabigat ang usapan at noong nagkaroon ng botohan, talagang masabi natin na na-divide ang lipunan.

Any discussion on same-sex marriage will need the right type of debate and discussion in Senate and Congress. Open debate, in the same way na iyong mga  mabibigat naman na isyu sa isang democratic country, kailangan talaga pag-usapan  iyan na open, public at iba’t ibang grupo ang puwedeng mag-share ng saloobin.

Iyong same-sex marriage, sa totoo lang, will need amendments. May ibang nagsasabi na kailangang Konstitusyon din daw. Kailangan talagang pag-aralan pa, even the Family Code will have to change. That needs further discussion.

But itong anti-discrimination bill, palagay ko mabigat na ito, dapat pag-usapan na. Nangyayari na ito sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ng tao.

 

Q: Baka lapitan kayo ng mga miyembro ng LGBT dahil may kinalaman din laban sa diskriminasyon ang inyong panukala.

A: Actually, iyong LGBT community nag-consult naman kami sa kanila on this bill. They are in favor of this bill. In fact, marami ngang nagsasabi na dapat matagal na ito.

In our society, I’d like to think, we’re loving and caring society. Basta’t kapwa Pilipino natin, kapwa human being natin iyan, dapat maayos ang trato natin sa isa’t isa.

 

Q: Salamat po Senator Bam, magandang umaga po. Kami po’y natutuwa sa inyong pagbisita sa studio.

A:  Salamat po Gerry, at sa mga nakikinig sa atin, maraming salamat po.

Alam niyo po, itong bill, isa lang po ito. Of course na-mention ko na po iyong ibang bills natin.

Iyon isa pa pong tinututukan natin, iyong IRR ng Philippine Lemon Law, ngayon po ay binubuo na, at iyong Go Negosyo Law, na isa pong batas na magbibigay tulong sa maliliit nating negosyante.

Kahit po iyon, binubuo na po iyong IRR, pareho po ng Department of Trade and Industry. Binabantayan po natin iyan upang ma-implement at the soonest possible time.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

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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