MICP, POM yard utilization hits critical level as strike enters second day

THE yard utilization at the country’s two major ports in Manila has reached critical level as the ‘indefinite rest day’ called by the country’s biggest truckers group enters its second day this Tuesday, November 23, 2021.

Based on the yard utilization monitoring by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), container occupancy at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) is already at a high of 80.84 percent as of Monday, November 22, 2021, the day the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP), started its indefinite ‘no-work’ protest activity.

Yard utilization at the Port of Manila (POM) on the other hand, was placed at 63 percent.

Mary Zapata, CTAP chairperson, said that “90 percent” of their 7,000 trucks transporting goods in and out of the POM and the MICP participated in the strike on its first day, as she also issued an appeal to other truckers to “support and sustain” the protest activity.

“Nakakalungkot na may mga truckers na matitigas ang ulo at ayaw makisama samantalang para sa ikabubuti ng lahat ang laban na ito,” she told Pinoy Exposé.

BOC data also showed that particularly at the MICP, yard utilization is already at the critical level of 74.81 percent as of November 19, 2021 and 67 percent at the POM, 3 days before the start of the strike called by CTAP.

Yard utilization is a measure of container movements inside the country’s ports with the high figure indicating containers are piling up inside the container yards leading to ‘port congestion’ and operations paralysis.

Aside from port congestion, the non-movement of goods also means that critical shipments of raw materials, consumer goods and food supplies are not getting to their destinations, adversely affecting the country’s economic rebound.

At a press conference last November 19 and again on November 22, CTAP leaders headed by Zapata said they were forced to declare an indefinite strike as the government, particularly the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) under general manager Daniel Jay Santiago, continues to allegedly ignore the issues they have been raising for several years now and which have adversely affected their viability.

ICTSI ‘abuses’ being ignored by PPA, government

Aside from the PPA now forcing truckers to get an “accreditation” with the agency on top of the ‘Permit To Operate’ (PTO) that they also have to pay separately while allegedly serving the same purpose, CTAP also blasted the PPA for “turning a deaf ear” and for “being blind” to the
“abuses” being made against them by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), the private arrastre operator of the MICP that is owned by Enrique Razon, one of the country’s leading oligarchs.

These include forcing CTAP members to get a separate accreditation from another private company, ‘Pacific Roadlink Logistics, Inc.’ (PRLI), which, CTAP claims, is their direct business competitor.

Aside from fearing the set-up would result to PRLI ‘poaching’ their drivers and helpers to boost its own business, CTAP said ICTSI may be violating the ‘Data Privacy Act.’

At the start of November, drivers and helpers not accredited by PRLI are not allowed to enter the MICP, despite being accredited by the PPA, the group claimed.

“Balewala sa mga guwardiya ng ICTSI ang accreditation at PTO ng PPA,” added Abraham Rebao, vice president for trucking of the Aduana Business Club, Inc. (ABCI) that Zapata also chairs.

They also denounced Razon’s company of forcing them to traverse the ICTSI compound when going South by converting the ‘Isla Puting Bato’ (IPB) road link into a ‘one-way street’ (north bound only).

However, once inside the ICTSI compound at North Harbor, truckers are forced to pay a ‘pass-through fee’ of P5,600 per truck per day or risk being detained inside indefinitely.

Zapata said Santiago, as far back as April this year, “promised” to address the problem but has done nothing until now.

Prior to Monday’s strike, Zapata said they have been thru various government agencies—the DOTr, PPA, DTI, ARTA, among others—but none has taken any active step to help them.

“Kahit kay Sen. Bong Go, nagpasaklolo na rin kami, pero wala pa ring nangyari,” Zapata bewailed. “Lahat sila tahimik, parang ayaw kaming tulungan.”

Also spotted during Friday’s press conference called by CTAP are representatives from the office of Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Grace Poe for them to better understand the issues and take action.

Despite this, Zapata confirmed that the offices of Lacson and Poe also failed to assist them as of this writing (this is a developing story).