Exporters slam diversion to Subic, Batangas ports

MANILA, Philippines - Diverting container traffic to Batangas and Subic Ports to decongest Manila and maximize the two ports should not be mandated on business.

Stakeholders expressed this position during the consultation meeting for the study to decongest Manila and divert container traffic to Subic and Batangas Ports held recently in Pasig City.

By saying this however, stakeholders have weakened the claim earlier made by the Export Development Council (EDC) and the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) that one way to unclog the traffic jams in Metro Manila is to divert cargo trucks to Batangas and Subic. 

This advocacy is supported by the findings of this study conducted by the Transport and Traffic Planners, Inc. (TPPI) engaged by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that Manila Ports are congested.

The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) president George Chua said that market forces should be allowed to decide the issue. He however agreed that all businesses are trying to look for the cheapest and efficient logistics service to be internationally competitive.

“Let us be globally competitive, but we should not force business moves”, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) vice president Sean Perez stressed that there is no need to transfer cargoes from Manila to Batangas and Subic ports just to maximize the utilization of these ports.

Roberto Aquino, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Acting Manager for port operations said that his office has already submitted the one-year 50 percent tariff discount proposal to the Office of the President. The discount is supposed to entice shippers to use the Batangas and Subic ports.