The holding of the 45th annual meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Manila caused a problem in Metro Manila traffic late last week.
The cause of the problem was not unknown or difficult to predict. It was well anticipated that the arrival of finance officials from 67 countries, led by ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, would lead to traffic in parts of Metro Manila. Surely the meeting was already known at least last year. It was already known that there would be 4,000 or more delegates.
The meeting was scheduled for May 2 to 5. Meeting venue was the PICC. It would have been easy to predict that the visitors would be billeted at hotels on Roxas Blvd.
From SCMAP’s perspective, the preparatory moves were late and incomplete. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino did call a series of meetings involving truckers and PPA authorities. SCMAP became aware only when it was invited to a meeting by MMDA on April 26.
The solution developed by MMDA was a temporary truck ban, requiring truck deliveries to be made only in the dead of the night, from 9 pm to 4 am. The MMDA and PPA allowed certain concessions such as maximum tolerance regarding trucks lined on the roadside to deliver to distribution centers, and waiving storage penalties at the ports.
The issue of nighttime deliveries had been challenged by retailers for decades. The worst part of last week’s solution was that the retailers were not informed and were clueless about the whole thing.
MMDA did provide continuous updates to SCMAP and truckers. Lack of information to the retailers belied an insufficient understanding of the supply chains in Metro Manila. The Philippine Retailers Association should have been involved as they operate numerous distribution centers all over Metro Manila. Thru special efforts by some SCMAP members, retailers were persuaded to receive deliveries at night.
The logistics of the ADB meeting could have been better understood by asking hotels on Roxas Blvd, and in Makati for information about their numbers of guests.
We hope we can learn from this experience and do a better job next time something like this happens.
Logistics Immersion Course
This year’s Logistics Immersion Course departs on May 11 from Manila and Batangas to Boracay and back on May 14. Assembly points are Quirino Grandstand and Alabang. A few slots are still left.
Next Activities
Introduction to SCM Seminar. June 7-8, 2012
Transportation Management Workshop, July 20-21, 2012
Address inquiries and comments to Ed Sanchez at tel. 671-8670, fax 671-4793, cell 0918-914-1689, or email scmap.org@gmail.com. Those interested in SCMAP training and other activities are requested to send their e-mail addresses. Visit SCMAP’s website at:www.scmap.org
