PBBM orders swift action on port congestion

MANILA, February 26 ------ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed concerned government agencies to ease congestion at the Manila South Harbor and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), Malacañang said. “Kung anuman po ang nagiging problema dito sa port congestion, iyan po ay pinapatutukan ng Pangulo,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

She said the Palace already coordinated with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to discuss the reported congestion at Manila’s major ports. “Updated po ang Pangulo, at dapat po lamang tugunan agad kung anuman ang nagkakaroon ng problema, mabilisang pagtugon ng mga nasasabing ahensiya,” she said.

Citing the BOC’s statement, Castro said port operations are usually “smooth” on weekdays, noting that port congestion usually happens just on weekends. She noted that the yard utilization levels in the Philippines remain below 90 percent as of Feb. 19, based on BOC’s data. She said the yard utilization rate at the Port of Manila is at 79.80 percent; Manila International Container Port, 84.45 percent; some major ports, including Batangas at 49.6 percent; Subic, 60 percent; Cebu, 33 percent; and Davao, 68.34 percent. “May kakayahan din pa rin po ang mga port operators na ipagpatuloy ang paglilipat at pagproseso ng mga kargamento sa loob ng kanilang lugar,” Castro said.

She said there is currently no immediate need to halt the movement of containers, adding that port utilization continues to decrease. The BOC is implementing measures aimed at ensuring uninterrupted port operations, including the implementation of a Customs administrative order on the accreditation of container yards, Castro noted.

She said the BOC would also conduct regular quarterly meetings for coordination and assessment with international shipping lines and port stakeholders, in preparation for months with typically high facility usage. “Suportado rin ng BOC ang infrastructure readiness initiatives, particular na ang investments sa mga karagdagang [unclear] facilities at complementary policy issuances,” Castro said, adding that crisis management protocols remain active at the BOC in case utilization rates reach critical levels.

Source: pna.gov.ph