The road is clear for the full implementation of the Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS), with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PhilExport) now amenable to the system’s points payment and penalty features.
The business groups on March 10 attended a meeting with former Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras. This was the official’s last act as Cabinet Secretary and troubleshooter for the cargo community, having been appointed by President Aquino as interim Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“The discussion has been fruitful,” PCCI president George Barcelon said of the results of their meeting with Almendras.
PCCI and Philexport had earlier opposed the TABS fees and penalties structure, fearing these would jack up logistics costs.
The TABS points payment system will be implemented starting March 16, while the application of penalties on late arrivals as well as no-shows will start on April 1.
During the meeting, Voltaire Wycoco, director of the Manila International Container Terminal Management Services and Government Affairs, explained that TABS simply aims to “regulate the number of trucks plying the roads during peak hours and daytime hours and utilize the non-supply chain traditional hours, which is Saturday and Sunday.”
He added that of the total number of slots per week, 57% are free slots (meaning no booking fee needs to be paid) and “half of them are rebatable.”
Almendras explained that the fees of P300 for booking during the medium-demand zone and P1,000 during high demand zone will be used to credit bookings made on Sundays. Clients that book on Sunday won’t have to pay any fees and even get to earn credits amounting to 300 points, equivalent to P300, if they arrive on time.
The imposition of penalties under TABS, meantime, is meant to ensure compliance, Almendras noted. Penalties are calculated based on the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) equipment rental tariff. Based on this, the penalty for no-show trucks is P3,251, while that for late arrival is P1,625.
Exemption from truck ban
Almendras explained that with TABS bookings, trucks can now travel even during truck ban hours, expanding their time to meet their appointed slot at the terminals.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently issued Memorandum Circular No. 04-2016, which exempted trucks with TABS bookings from the truck ban. Under the circular, scheduled appointments during the morning ban (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) have a two-hour exemption before and another two-hour exemption after their appointed time. Trucks with afternoon bookings (5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) are given a two-and-a-half hour leeway before and after their appointment.
Almendras added that traffic enforcers from different cities will be oriented on the truck ban exemption. He earlier said key cities will have staff from MMDA-Task Force Pantalan to check that trucks plying the road really have TABS bookings.
TABS users and traffic enforcers can determine their truck ban exemption by texting the truck plate number to the number 292-908129 free of charge.
No more maintaining balance
During the meeting, Almendras announced that the initial requirement for a P6,500 maintaining balance for each user’s TABS account has been removed following the request of stakeholders. But in case of a penalty, a user cannot book another transaction without paying the receivable first. Port operators will soon be issuing rules on the revised points payment system.
PCCI’s Barcelon asked if there is a mechanism for consulting stakeholders in case fees are adjusted.
Almendras said he has proposed to the PPA the formation of an adjudication board composed of representatives from port operators, trucking and customs brokers groups, and business groups to oversee all TABS concerns.
With the issue of fees and penalties settled, PCCI and Philexport asked if TABS will lead to reduced trucking rates, the ultimate reason the private sector suggested the booking system in the first place.
In discussions with trucking groups, Almendras said they noted rates can be reduced “now that our trucks have less standby hours.”
Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines director Ruperto Bayocot, in an interview with PortCalls after the meeting, pointed out that trucking rates are already around 15% lower than they were two years ago. He suggested shippers directly get in touch with their truckers to ensure no other cargo service provider has the opportunity to tack on unnecessary charges onto trucking rates.
On Monday (March 14), a group of around 50 customs brokers and truckers congregated outside the Bureau of Customs to protest the TABS full implementation. The group was smaller than the one that launched a protest action on the same issue last March 7. The group has vowed to continue the protest until March 15. – Roumina Pablo
