Marcos wants agencies to focus on port congestion issues

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed concerned agencies to strictly monitor port operations to prevent congestion, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“Yes, opo. Kung anuman po ang nagiging problema dito port congestion, iyan po ay pinapatutukan ng Pangulo,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing.

(Yes, whatever the problem is on port congestion, the President wants agencies to focus on that.)

Castro made the statement amid reports of rising yard utilization at major ports nationwide, raising concerns over potential congestion and shipping delays.

Quoting reports from the Bureau of Customs, Castro said that port congestion usually occurs on weekends but returns to normal on weekdays.

“At dahil po diyan nakausap po mismo natin ang pamunuan ng Bureau of Customs at ang sabi po nila sa atin ay usually nagkakaroon ng port congestion kapag weekends pero kapag weekdays ay nagiging maayos naman, nagiging normal po ang flow,” she added.

(We've talked to the leadership of the Bureau of Customs, and they said port congestion usually happens on weekends. But on weekdays, the flow resumes to normal.)

According to the Bureau of Customs, yard utilization rates were: Port of Manila, 79.80%; Manila International Container Port, 84.45%; Batangas Port, 49.60%; Subic, 60%; Cebu, 33%; and Davao, 68.34%.

Earlier this month, the Philippine Ports Authority dismissed claims that Manila’s ports were congested.

The BOC recently directed the enforcement of a 90-day dwell time for empty shipping containers at seaports.

It also called on the Association of International Shipping Lines, Inc. to coordinate with affected shipping lines to remove overstaying empty containers, file the required declaration forms, and settle necessary duties and taxes.—MCG, GMA Integrated News