The controversial Manila truck ban that has wreaked havoc on the supply chain since it was first implemented in late February has been temporarily suspended from May 13 until May 20 in preparation for the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia scheduled on May 21 to 23.
In addition, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) under Memorandum Circular No 04 dated May 12 has, during the same days, lifted the truck ban, allowing 24-hour operation of trucks using specific routes during the ban hours of 6am to 10am and 5pm to 10pm.
MMDA said the decision was taken to decongest the “substantial back log of container vans in the Ports of Manila which causes long queueing of vessels”. It described the ports as “now in their capacity level”.
MMDA said the policy is also being adopted in preparation of the WEF activity.
On May 12, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada signed Executive Order No. 49 temporarily suspending the Manila truck ban following requests by Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras.
Singson, in a letter to Estrada dated May 9, requested the moratorium to “clear the huge backlog of containers now prevailing in the Port of Manila.” He added that some international container vessels were “bypassing the Port of Manila due to long queuing of 6-7 vessels at any given time.”
Under the Manila daytime truck ban, trucks are only allowed to ply the streets of Manila from 9 pm to 5 am, with a window period from 10 am to 3 pm.
The following guidelines will still be imposed during the moratorium, Singson’s letter said:
- Container trucks will not be allowed to park on A. Bonifacio up to Delpan Bridge and other key roads designated by the city of Manila;
- During the allowable truck operating hours (10:01am-5:00pm, 9:01pm-5am) trucks will be allowed entry to and from the Port of Manila and can only use the designated truck routes to include allowing trucks returning empty containers at any time during these operating hours;
- During the truck ban hours (5:01am-10am, 5:01pm-9pm), trucks will be regulated and dispatched by the port operators only at a rate not to exceed 200 container trucks per hour. The port operators will collect and pay to the city of Manila a dispatch fee of P100 per truck, guaranteed payment of P180,000 per day. Provided, however, that the trucks will continue to use only the designated truck routes to the north, south and to Cavite
- The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority shall deploy additional traffic enforcers in coordination with the City of Manila.
In a May 12 advisory, the country’s biggest port, Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), said, “Effective May 13, 2014 0700h, we will be charging PhP100 per import and export container as a pass on charge to be remitted to the City of Manila in exchange for a 24-hour truck window. This will be done until further notice.”
MMDA ordinance
Meanwhile, the MMDA-designated routes on which trucks may operate 24 hours from May 13-20 are as follows:
Southern route
Port Area to SLEX – From Bonifacio Drive, left turn to P. Burgos, Finance Road, Ayala Boulevard, right turn on San Marcelino Street, left turn on UN Avenue, right turn to Plaza Dilao, and right turn to Pres. Quirino Extension, left Osmeña Highway.
From SLEX to Port Area:
SLEX right to Pres. Quirino left to Plaza Dilao, left to UN Avenue, right Romualdez Street, left Ayala Boulevard, P. Burgos, right to Bonifacio Drive to destination.
Northern Route
Port Area to NLEX – From Bonifacio Drive turn right to C3, turn left to A. Bonifacio to NLEX/destination.
NLEX to Port Area – From Balintawak to A. Bonifacio, turn right to C-3, left to R-10 to destination.
Roxas Boulevard route:
Port Area to Cavite – From the piers, take R-10 straight ahead to Roxas Boulevard to Cavitex
Cavitex to Port Area –– From Cavitex take Roxas Boulevard, turn right to EDSA, make a U-turn under Magallanes Interchange, take SLEX right to Pres. Quirino, turn left to Plaza Dilao, left to United Nations, right to Romualdez Street, left to Ayala Blvd.-P.Burgos, right to Bonifacio Drive and on to destination.
A total truck ban is still in force on EDSA, C-5, Katipunan Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue and all other routes not mentioned above.
The Cavitex route is for the exclusive use of Cavite-bound trucks.
Trucks are also not allowed to park on A. Bonifacio Drive, Delpan Bridge and other key roads in Manila.
The MMDA said the truck ban will be lifted at noon on May 20, reinstating the MMDA truck ban hours in Metro Manila from 5am to 10am. and from 5pm to 9p.m. every day except Sundays and holidays.
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino is authorized to issue circulars to implement this resolution and to coordinate with concerned local government units of Metro Manila and other government agencies, including the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Ports Authority.
Container congestion
The Manila truck ban has caused severe container congestion at the Port of Manila and MICT.
As a consequence, two foreign vessels skipped Manila last week; another one is assessing the situation and may yet omit its Manila call this week.
A regional carrier has already skipped its Manila call and sailed straight to Davao, discharging its Manila-bound cargo there for onward transshipment to Manila using another ship.
MICT last week suspended acceptance of empty containers to stem the pileup. It has since resumed receiving empties for double transactions (called empty-loaded in industry parlance), where “one truck will return an empty then pick up an import… same time, same truck.”
MICT commercial director Christian Lozano told PortCalls the move was implemented even before the issuance of the truck ban moratorium.
Offdock container yard and container freight stations along with the other container yards within Metro Manila are also now full to the brim with containers.
The Association of International Shipping Lines has suggested that the Bureau of Customs fast track auction of overstaying containers to help ease the congestion. — Roumina Pablo
