Remember the port congestion last year that delayed the delivery of hundreds of balikbayan boxes from abroad because the local government of Manila banned trucks from entering the city?
To avoid a repeat of this, Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV on Thursday warned the government and private stakeholders of the “ber” months that would soon be upon us, signaling the arrival of boatloads of balikbayan boxes.
Aquino warned them not to repeat the congestions experienced at the Port of Manila.
“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, who is 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.
“As of now, operations remain normal but the port congestion might be repeated due to the flood of cargoes during the latter part of the year,” he said.
Early this year, Aquino said he 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 percent and 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, Aquino said the passage of the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act, or Republic Act 10688, will help decongest the country’s major ports. The law 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,” he said.
“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,” Aquino added.