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The Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations staged a caravan on April 18 calling anew for the revocation of the Philippine Ports Authority policy on container registry and monitoring system
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Members of ACTOO, joined by the Practicing Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines, Inc., and almost 300 truck units joined the half-day caravan in front of PPA’s head office
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The protesters specifically want PPA Administrative Order No. 04-2021 revoked and the Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry and Monitoring System scrapped
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PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago noted the system is not yet implemented and asked for stakeholders to wait for the government’s decision on it
The Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO) staged a caravan on April 18 to once more call for the revocation of the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) policy on container registry and monitoring system.
Members of ACTOO, joined by the Practicing Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PCBAPI), and almost 300 truck units joined the half-day caravan in front of PPA’s head office specifically asking for the revocation of PPA Administrative Order (AO) No. 04-2021 and scrapping of the Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry and Monitoring System (TOP-CRMS).
Under PPA Administrative Order (AO) No. 04-2021, foreign containers are required to register to TOP-CRMS and to secure a container insurance policy.
TOP-CRMS is PPA’s proposed electronic system to register and monitor the movement of foreign containers entering and leaving PPA ports. PPA earlier said TOP-CRMS is the solution to the long-standing issue on return of container deposits imposed by foreign shipping lines, as well as the management of return of foreign empty containers. The ports authority also claims the system will help address port congestion and aid the Bureau of Customs’ anti-smuggling efforts.
Implementation of TOP-CRMS is currently deferred by the PPA Board following opposition for various stakeholders. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, who chairs the PPA Board, earlier said government agencies that are members of PPA’s Board, as well as other concerned agencies were “not very clear on what will be the benefits that’s why the board decided to defer it.” Bautista said the system will again be up for review.
PPA in a media statement on April 18 said they respect the right to air opinions and welcomes the caravan, except for the inconvenience it brought to motorists along Bonifacio Drive at Port Area, Manila where the PPA head office is located.
ACTOO countered that the traffic was caused by PPA police blocking “the peaceful and orderly caravan that was about to turn right at Gate 1.”
ACTOO said the Philippine National Police personnel escorting the caravan, which has go-signal from the Manila City government, was even pleading with the PPA police to let the caravan pass through, to no avail.
PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago noted the system is not yet implemented and asked for stakeholders to wait for the government’s decision on the policy.
He reiterated he sees no problem if TOP-CRMS is not implemented.
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