Customs brokers answer back on
Republic Act 9280
THE Chamber of Customs Brokers,
Inc. (CCBI) clarified certain provisions of Republic
Act 9280 or the Customs Brokers Act of 2004 following
what one of its officials say is the "growing
misinterpretation by some industry sectors".
The CCBI was instrumental in helping draft the
law, now the subject of heavy protest from the
freight forwarding community. Freight forwarders
are against provisions banning the corporate practice
of customs brokerage, among others.
They claim that the law will also put 20,000 industry
personnel out of work, as it specifically gives
accredited customs brokers the exclusive right
to perform certain tasks.
In a public consultation spearheaded by CCBI last
Monday, association president Diosdado Santiago
said the law's prime intention was the professionalization
of brokers. "The law is not about multinational
firms, forwarding companies and other associations
- that's why it's called the Customs Brokers Act,"
he pointed out.
On the hotly contested prohibition against the
corporate practice of customs brokerage, CCBI
stressed the provision does not disallow freight
forwarding firms from fully operating. "It
does not mean they will be out of business,"
assured Customs collector Rogelio Villagarcia,
also a member of CCBI.
According to him, forwarders offer many services
including shipping, air and sea consolidation,
warehousing, packing and crating, stuffing, export
documentation and processing.
"The law only asks them to hand over the
customs clearance service to those properly trained
to perform the task. Only that and the rest is
theirs," he said.
Villagarcia, however, admitted pure brokerage
firms will have to close shop. Under the law's
proposed implementing rules and regulations (IRR),
companies are given only up to December 31, 2004
to file an entry with customs, he said.
CCBI director Roberto T. Domondon denied earlier
presumption that the law will translate to massive
unemployment. He said it provides for "permissible
delegation" of certain tasks but that this
must be under direct supervision and control of
the brokers.
These tasks include preparation of documents,
declaration, filing and lodging and processing.
On the other hand, tasks which may not be delegated
are those "purely personal" to the broker
such as consultation, signing, remote entry lodging
and purely technical processing tasks.
Domondon further said it is not true that, under
the law, lawyers will be prohibited from representing
their clients with the BOC and that brokers can
represent their clients at the Court of Tax Appeals.
"The appearance in a judicial body is still
exclusive to lawyers. Customs brokers may still
not engage in the practice of the law," he
said.
Back
to Top
DBP approves P536M
loans for cold chain
THE Development Bank of the Philippines
(DBP) has approved loans amounting to P536 million
to fund cold chain facilities under the Sustainable
Logistics Development Plan (SLDP).
In the recently concluded 3rd Quarter Cold Chain
Association of the Philippines (CCAP) Roundtable
Discussion, DBP assistant vice president Fausto
V. Aragones said 17 private companies have availed
of the loan. There are also 13 projects in the
pipeline amounting to P459 million while prospects
amount to P25 million.
The DBP has allotted the biggest funding for the
development of cold chain facilities under the
SLDP. Of the P30 billion initially earmarked to
finance investments in SLDP projects, including
the Road Roll-on/Roll-off (ro-ro) Terminal System
(RRTS) and the Bulk Grains Highway, P16 billion
will go to the cold chain.
The RRTS and the Grains Highway were allotted
P7.5 billion and P6.5 billion, respectively.
Aragones said the cold chain plays the biggest
role in preservation of perishables while in transit.
"It is in the cold chain sector where the
biggest losses are," he said, noting approximately
P30 billion are lost annually in waste and spoilage
of fruits and vegetables.
"Through the SLDP, we will be able to replace
traditional and inefficient storage, handling,
transport and support systems with modern storage,
handling and transport system under proper quality
control management," he noted.
Under the program, the bank aims to establish
16 cold chain processing and marketing centers,
along with 12 grains processing centers and the
serial building of 96 vessels and roro ferry ports.
Aragones said the development of cold chain facilities
will maximize benefits to farmers, ensure availability
of products and improve trade. - Maritess R. Mesias
Back
to Top
Ecozone exports
up 21.5% in first seven months
THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority
(PEZA) said exports from the country's export
processing zones rose 21.5% to $17.864 billion
from $14.669 billion during the same period last
year.
PEZA director-general Lilia B. de Lima reported
the private economic zones accounted for the bulk
of total export earnings during the review period.
From January to July, total exports from the private
economic zones amounted to $13.899 billion, up
26.25% from last year"s $11.009 billion.
De Lima said the four public economic zones exported
$3.864 billion, posting a 6.6% growth compared
with earnings of $3.622 billion a year ago.
The country's information technology (IT) buildings
and IT parks contributed $100.688 million in terms
of services exports, growing 48.6% over the $67.757
million recorded in the first seven months of
2003.
As of July this year, PEZA investments created
employment for 990,895 workers. De Lima noted
of that this number, 594,537 workers were employed
through related industries while the rest or 396,358
were employed directly within the ecozones.
Back
to Top
Book on PPA rules
and regulations out
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)
Commercial Services Department (CSD) recently
completed a book which compiles all the port agency's
rules and regulations issued in 2003.
Entitled "Port Rules and Regulations 2003,"
the book carries forward the PPA's objective of
ensuring efficiency and enhancing business transactions
at the port, the port agency noted.
"It is likewise in consonance with the national
government's objective of making all government
activities and transactions transparent and easy
to understand," it explained.
Other government agencies
The book contains relevant issuances
from other government agencies related to port
rules and regulations. For instance, it contains
Executive Orders, House of Representative Resolutions
and Civil Service issuances that are related or
influence the adoption of certain rules within
the PPA.
The material is arranged by subject matter, then
by the date and number of issuance. At the bottom
of each issuance is the effectivity date of the
regulation, the name of the newspapers of general
circulation where they were published, and the
date of publication.
The 132-paged book is also available in CD-ROM.
The PPA-CSD is in the process of completing a
new book entitled "Philippine Ports: Gateways
to Maritime Trade" to sell the port facilities
and services of the country's three major ports
- the Manila International Container Terminal,
the South Harbor and the port of Batangas. - Maritess
R. Mesias
Back
to Top
MARINA registers
25% more seamen in 1st half
THERE were more registered seafarers
in the first half of the year, with the Maritime
Industry Authority (MARINA) issuing 25% more Seaman's
Identification Record Book (SIRB) compared to
the same period last year.
In its accomplishment report, the
maritime agency said SIRBs issued went up to 76,935
from 61,779 from last year. The Central Office
(CO) registered 51,989 (68%) and maritime regional
offices throughout the country, 24,946 (32%).
The number of examination permits issued for harbor
pilots, major and minor patrons (MAP/MIP), boat
captains and marine diesel mechanic examinees
for the first six months was at 1,960, 7% lower
than with the 2,100 permits issued a year ago.
MARINA noted 23% or 455 of the total were issued
by the CO while the remaining 77% (1,501) came
from MROs.
It further noted licenses issued to successful
passers of the harbor pilot/MAP/MIP/boat captain/marine
diesel mechanic examination from January to June
2004 reached 2,657. This was, however, 10% less
than the 2,943 licenses issued during the same
period in 2003. Of the total licenses issued for
the period, the CO gave out 784 (30%) licenses,
and the MROs, 1,873 (70%).
Qualification documents
The issuance of Qualification Documents Certificates
(QDC) to seafarers is 12% lower compared with
the 1,929 QDCs issued during the same period in
2003. The QDC issued by the CO represented 26%
of the total (1,703) while the remaining 74% were
issued by MROs.
Also for the first semester, MARINA said the number
of Training Record Book went up 9% to 1,486 from
1,363 in 2003. From the total, 25% (367) was registered
by the CO, and 75% (1,119) by the MROs.
MARINA reiterated it will continue to closely
monitor the issuance of seafarers' documents,
licenses and certificates.
Last June, the agency signed a Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) with the National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI) to abate the proliferation of tampered,
fake or irregularly issued MARINA-issued licenses
and certificates.
Under the MOA, a special task force was formed
to formulate plans, policies, and strategies in
apprehending, investigating and prosecuting those
responsible for the irregular issuance of documents
from MARINA.
The task force will directly submit
its report and recommendations to the MARINA administrator
and develop a Personnel Enhancement Program where
the NBI will provide lectures, seminars and workshops
on forgery detection and investigation techniques.
Back
to Top
Pacific Eagle/TMS
vessel in maiden voyage to MICT
A new vessel of Pacific Eagle Lines
Ltd. recently had its maiden voyage to Manila
International Container Terminal. Arriving from
its first port of origin in Singapore, MV Thor
Nexus has an effective capacity of 700 TEUs. From
MICT, the vessel sailed back to Singapore. Capt.
Dusit Sakuna, Vessel Master (third from left),
received from Jay Valdez, ICTSI Operations Superintendent
(2nd from left), a commemorative certificate to
mark the event. TMS Ship Agencies, Inc., the Philippines
agent of Pacific Eagle, was represented by (L-R)
Jose Ilagan, TMS Vice President and Christopher
Flores, TMS Operations Manager.
Back
to Top
|
