CCBI seeks suspension
of new cargo exam rules
THE Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI)
is asking the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to suspend Customs Memorandum
Order (CMO) 17-2008 or the new rules on physical examination
of cargoes due to their supposed inconsistencies with local
and international policies and their effect on the timely
release of cargoes.
It may be recalled that two weeks ago, the BOC relaxed its
cargo examination processes by foregoing some physical inspection
procedures under the selectivity system in a bid to facilitate
clearance of imported goods. The streamlining is aimed at
enhancing the bureau’s capacity to detect shipments
attendant with fraud and facilitate the release of low-risk
and legitimate cargoes as well as reduce congestion in Philippine
ports. It is also in line with their plan to further reduce
the number of scanned containers through better risk management
all aimed to facilitate trade in the Philippines.
In a letter to Customs commissioner Napoleon Morales, CCBI
president Rolando Quiambao said CMO 17-2008 would mean additional
cost for consignees and unnecessary delays in the release
of cargo in cases of physical examination of shipments.
Quiambao explained that Sec. III.4 of the new rules would
cause delays in customs clearance due to inadequate facilities
of port operators such as Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI).
“ATI’s capacity is only five to 10 containers
per day. It is said that BOC will adjust the selectivity parameter
to ensure that the containers to be examined will be within
the capacity of ATI. However, arrastre operators must be the
ones to adjust to the requirements of government and not vice-versa
especially (with) the fact that government revenue is at stake,”
Quiambao said in the letter, a copy of which was provided
to PortCalls.
“Given the circumstances, the CMO should be implemented
only when ATI has expanded its facilities to effectively handle
physical examination pursuant to the new CMO,” Quiambao
added.
Another issue, he said, is with regard to Philippine Economic
Zone Authority (PEZA) shipments. If containers are suspect
or have image aberrations during x-ray, Quiambao explained,
it may not be possible to conduct physical examination at
PEZA zones because no entry has been filed or is needed at
such zones. It is also not clear who will be responsible for
the conduct of the examination.
In cases of suspect containers or of image aberrations, physical
examination must be done at the consignee’s warehouse
by Customs examiners assigned at PEZA and as a precaution,
a special type seal may have to be developed to protect the
integrity of the x-ray findings, Quiambao said.
CCBI is also questioning Sec. III.7 of the CMO pertaining
to shipments that have undergone 100% examination and would
no longer be subject to x-ray examination unless there is
“derogatory information against them”.
CCBI said the concern lies in the interpretation of “derogatory
information”, which could delay customs clearance. The
potential problem lies with “derogatory information”
only being made known to customs brokers when shipments are
already on their way out of customs gates, Quiambao said.
Sec. III.8 or the special service/examination procedure (on
stripping and stuffing) is also a key concern for CCBI, calling
the provision unfair as the additional expense of P7,000 per
container is dependent on the accuracy and design of the x-ray
machine and its operators.
To ensure credible findings, special services should be for
the account of the BOC in cases of negative findings and for
the account of the consignee only for positive findings.
“Given the above circumstances and that of Sec. IV.2
or the discrepancy after physical or x-ray examination, we
are requesting the BOC to suspend CMO 17-2008 and subject
it to a more detailed consultation,” Quiambao said.
Back to Top
Harbour Centre more open to out-of-court
settlement
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) expects
to restart full privatization process for North Harbor after
Harbour Centre Port Terminals, Inc (HCPTI) apparently warmed
up to a possible out-of-court settlement.
According to a PPA source, HCPTI has sent feelers to PPA for
a win-win solution to allow the privatization process to proceed.
If the deal pushes through, HCPTI and joint venture bid partner
Metro Pacific Investment Corp (MIPC) will retain their eligibility
status under the first failed bidding, the source said.
However, if HCPTI forges another joint venture outside the
existing one with MIPC, it will forfeit its eligibility and
will have to go through tedious eligibility procedures, the
source added.
HCPTI and partner MIPC is reportedly negotiating with Aboitiz
Transport System (ATS) for the latter’s potential stake
in North Harbor. Being a shipping line, ATS is limited to
a 10% stake in North Harbor and needs the help of a port operator
to further secure its interest in the port.
North Harbor has fallen way below international standards
with facilities that are more than 50 years old and have surpassed
their useful economic life.
Early this year, PPA asked the Manila Regional Trial Court
to hasten its decision on the suit filed by HCPTI questioning
the process of privatization as further delays may endanger
the lives of people working in the facility.
HCPTI filed a case in August last year after the PPA board
inserted a provision in the bidding terms of reference —
while the bidding process was ongoing — that there should
be at least two eligible bidders.
The PPA, through Board Resolution No. 211, then declared a
failure of bidding with the emergence of HCPTI as the only
eligible bidder.
PPA later halted the bidding procedure indefinitely until
the handing down of a court decision.
Back to Top
Truckers ask: Cut pass-thru levies
THE Confederation of Truckers Asso-ciation
of the Philippines (CTAP) wants pass-through fees collected
by local government units removed, calling them one of the
causes of high trucking rates.
The pass-through fees usually range from P500 to P2,500 per
truck collected by cities in Metro Manila as well as provincial
and municipal governments both North and South bound.
CTAP president Col. Roberto De Ocampo told PortCalls that
although the cost is collected once a year, it adds to the
shipment delivery cost.
“Unless pass-through fees are removed, consumers will
continue to see high market prices of commodities as the fees
are just pass-on cost and factored into the end price,”
De Ocampo said.
“Trucking rates will drop if such fees are removed and
(this) could somewhat cushion truckers and consumers from
rising fuel cost affecting the overall price of products,”
he stressed.
“It will also prevent truckers from effecting a rate
increase,” De Ocampo said.
CTAP leaders will soon meet with President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo to further look for ways to address high trucking costs.
De Ocampo is hoping to secure an executive order (EO) from
the President for the abolition of the pass-through fees,
just as an EO was issued to end the unsynchronized truck bans.
Back to Top
Anti-overloading monitoring station up in
nation’s food basket
THE Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) has established an anti-overloading monitoring station
in Region II to further prevent road deterioration.
DPWH has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Land Transportation
Office (LTO), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other concerned
local government units for the strict implementation in Region
II of Republic Act 8794 or the Anti-Overloading Law.
The DPWH Region II Office in coordination with other government
agencies is now apprehending cargo trucks in excess of the
13.5-ton per axle load limit passing through national roads
along the provinces of Tuguegarao, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.
“Considering that the region is one of the major food
baskets of the country, the majority of truckers is maximizing
the load limit of their cargo delivery to save (on) transport
cost which in effect causes the early deterioration of roads,”
DPWH said.
The DPWH Anti-Overloading Taskforce is composed of five DPWH
personnel, one LTO staff and at least two from the PNP per
shift at each installed weighbridge even during weekends and
holidays.
A dry run was recently conducted at the Claveria Weigh Bridge
in Claveria Cagayan and Aritao Weigh Bridge Station in Aritao,
Nueva Vizcaya to ensure effective implementation.
Back to Top
YRDICT steps up cargo consolidation
YANTAI Rising Dragon International Container
Terminal Ltd (YRDICTL) recently boosted cargo consolidation
service at the Yantai Rising Dragon International Container
Terminal (YRDICT) in China with the recent opening of an independent
gate for the terminal’s container freight stations (CFS).
The new gate enables YRDICT to achieve faster turnaround time
in its CFS operations as well increase overall terminal productivity.
“The new CFS gate will definitely improve efficiency
of all ship-side operations, container yard receiving and
delivery, as well as CFS operations at the terminal,”
said Apollo Zhou, YRDICTL general manager. “Local customs
also welcomed this development,” he adds.
All trucks delivering or picking up cargo at the CFS now go
through the new gate without disrupting container yard operations.
Prior to the opening of the new gate, trucks passed through
the main terminal gate and through the yard before reaching
the CFS.
YRDICT’s CFS operates 24/7 under close management supervision
with round-the-clock customs, safety and security checks.
CFS includes an open yard freight station of 41,600 square
meters and a warehouse of 4,480 square meters. It is mainly
engaged in the business of cargo consolidation for import
and export containers and handles a daily capacity of over
400 TEUs.
Apollo Zhou (far right) unveils the
marker of the new CFS gate.
Back to Top
|
