Shippers get short reprieve
from container security fee
THE collection of the new container security
may still be weeks away with Bureau of Customs still finalizing
the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive
Order (EO) 592.
The EO, which makes the implementation of the non-intrusive
container inspection system (NCIS) mandatory in all major
gateways, became effective yesterday.
Per EO 592, only the container security fee for seafreight
has been determined: $20 per 20-footer and $50 per 40-footer.
These rates are still subject to approval by the Department
of Finance (DOF). Airfreight rates are still being deliberated
upon and will be subject to a public hearing then to DOF approval.
Under EO 592, all import and export cargoes landed, stored
in piers, airports, terminal facilities including container
yards, freight stations under the jurisdiction of the BOC
will be charged a container security fee to cover the grant
extended by China to purchase the scanners.
ÒAs far as the BOC is concerned, it has yet to start
deliberating on the IRR for the EO and we do not expect the
agency to focus on it in the next few weeks or even until
next month,Ó a source told PortCalls.
He added that enforcement of the EO at the BOC could take
even longer considering not even one of the first four non-intrusive
scanning units has been installed.
Seventy-five percent of the total collected container security
fee shall be remitted annually to the national treasury as
part of the general fund.
The Export-Import Bank of China has been tapped for the loan
processing of the NCIS while the Beijing-based Nuctech Co.
Ltd. will supply the container scanning machines. After completion
of the loan payment, the 75% allocation shall be deposited
in a trust fund while the remaining 25% shall be retained
by the BoC as administrative support to be deposited in a
trust fund. The trust fund will be used for the maintenance
and upgrade of the NCIS, institutionalization of post-audit
processes, and fraud-related investigations. — Christopher Paringit
ASEAN, China to bolster ICT cooperation
- By LEO V. MORADA - IT Consultant
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and China have agreed on a five-year action plan action
to bolster cooperation in the field of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT). The Plan of Action dated January 14, 2007
is one of the highlights during the newly-concluded 12th ASEAN
Summit. It was signed by ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng
Yong and China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing.
The action plan is the implementation of the Beijing Declaration
on ASEAN-China ICT Cooperative Partnership for Common Development
which was adopted in May 2005. It sets a detailed scope of
ASEAN-China key program areas and strategic actions and measures
for collective cooperation in the ICT fields of ICT Infrastructure
Development, Universal Service, Human Capacity Building, Network
and Information Security, Trade and Investment Facilitation
and Inter-governmental Dialogue and Exchange.
Activities for implementation under ICT Infrastructure Development
are the GMS Information Superhighway Project which will endeavor
to make the infrastructure building basically completed and
service operation available by 2008 and the network for full
deployment and operation of services by 2010, the ASEAN-China
Information Superhighway Project, and the plan of seamless
migration from traditional communication network to Next Generation
Network (NGN). Also included are cooperation in broadband
communications, radio frequency planning and spectrum management,
and promotion of the establishment of Research & Development
Center on Telecommunication Equipment for ASEAN-China markets.
Universal Service encompasses cooperation and development
of a universal service guide to specify the development goal
and strategy of narrowing the digital divide, establishment
of the ASEAN-China Telecom Universal Service Forum, and communications
in rural and remote areas.
Human Capacity Building includes the continued promotion of
government-led HRD cooperation through the implementation
of China’s proposal to provide training for high-level
ICT managers and technicians.
Network and Information Security encompasses building upon
and strengthening ASEAN cooperation on Network Security (ATRC
framework and national CERTs), with the view to improve coordination
network and improve the capability of network and information
security of the parties. It also includes facilitation of
the joint participation of ASEAN Member Countries and China
in the ASEAN CERTs Incidents Drill (ACID) and subsequently
explore the establishment of an ASEAN-China Coordination Framework
for Network and Information Security Emergency Responses,
to, among others, study the handling of cyber-terrorism and
other new threats and challenges by conducting emergency response
drills and capacity building seminars. Part of this is establishment
of the ASEAN-China Network and Information Security Expert
Group and Forum.
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reported
higher earnings in October 2006 due to the reduction in expenses
in repair, maintenance, and dredging activities.
The latest PPA data showed that the agency posted a net income
of P188 million for October or P1.37 million higher than its
target.
Expenses for the month were only P259.7 million, lower than
the target of P334.14 million and down from the 2005 figure
of P289 million.
For the first 10 months of the year, port revenue grew P19.37
million due to the impact of the annual increase in fixed
fee and tariff increase in cargo handling of port operator
International Container Terminal Sevices, Inc. (ICTSI).
PPA also attributed the increase to the revenues derived from
foreign traffic, share in arrastre/stevedoring income and
pilotage.
For the same period last year, its revenues dropped about
P42.6 million to P4.89 billion against the target of P4.93
billion. However, expenses for the same period were slashed
18% to P2.3 billion from its target of P2.84 billion. This
resulted in higher earnings worth P2.57 billion from a target
of just P2 billion.
ICTSI, the operator of the Manila International Container
Terminal, accounts for a third of PPA’s total revenues.
Asian Terminals Inc., the Manila South Harbor’s operator,
contributes 10% to PPA’s coffers.
The PPA admitted that compared to 2005, its total expenses
from January to October last year increased 10% to P2.31 billion
from the previous P2 billion.
This was due to higher dredging costs and other administrative
expenses. The port agency also said the stronger peso also
affected its projections, including its profit expectations
from dollar-denominated revenue items such as wharfage dues.
Its non-operating expenses also increased P47 million as a
result of interest payments for the P5.5-billion loan from
Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) collection district
at the Port of Batangas has exceeded its collection target
of P31.69 billion for 2006 as early as October last year registering
a total collection of P34.19 billion for the 10-month period.
Batangas Port reported that the district posted a P2.5-billion
surplus collection from its P34.19-billion target for January-October
2006.
It added that Batangas will likely exceed its collection for
2006 by around P10 billion when the revenue collections for
November and December are tallied.
The ten-month collection was 33% or P8.576 billion higher
than the target of P25.614 billion.
The Port of Batangas achieved actual cash collection of P3.963
billion for the month of October, 30% of P919 higher than
the target of P3.044 billion. The October 2006 collection
was also 156% more than the October 2005 collection of P1.155
billion.
Batangas customs authorities attributed the collection surplus
to several positive measures such as the increase in duties
for crude and diesel oil from 2% to 3%; increase in importation;
and immediate payment by importers and brokers of duties and
taxes for their shipments without stretching the 30-day grace
period in settling payment.
Tonnage
fee to take place of supervision fees at Marina
LOCAL vessel operators should brace for higher
regulatory fees after the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina)
said it was keen on imposing a tonnage fee in place of the
supervision fee scrapped by Republic Act 9295 or the Domestic
Shipping Development Act of 2004.
Marina, in a public hearing on the proposal, said the collection
of tonnage fee will be applied to all ships except fishing
vessels that are below three gross tons. It is also in line
with efforts of the authority to simplify fees levied on shipping
companies.
Based on the proposal, which should have been enforced last
year were it not for a Malaca–ang-ordered management
shake-up, the annual tonnage fees would be assessed based
on each vessel’s total gross tonnage as of the end of
December of the year immediately preceding the calendar year.
A minimum payment will cover the tonnage fee for at least
one ship.
Penalties for non-payment include a 50% surcharge based on
the tonnage fee and non-renewal of the applicable license
or the suspension of authority to operate.
The applicable license or authority shall also be issued only
upon payment of the tonnage fee and surcharge.
Marina will be using the rates it issued in 2005 to compute
the tonnage fee for each vessel type.
In 2005, the agency stopped charging supervision fees on shipping
firms as a result of the implementation of RA 9295.
