Ship owners hail GMA order

The Philippine Interisland Shipping Association (PISA), the umbrella organization of the domestic shipping sector, recently lauded President Arroyo’s Executive Order 164 which lowers tariff for certain tariff lines since some items imported by the industry for use on its vessels were included in the order.

The issuance of EO 164 is one of several initiatives being undertaken by the government to level the playing field among different transport sectors, PISA said. Included among the government’s initiatives is the proposal of the Department of Finance to lift the exemption enjoyed by the airline sector on its fuel importation.

PISA has been seeking the help of the government to level the playing field among different modes of transportation in the Philippines. It has advocated for policy reforms that will provide an opportunity for the domestic ship owner to build on its competitiveness vis-a-vis its counterparts in the transport sector.

The group manifested its strong support on any move by the government that will put the domestic shipping industry on equal footing with its counterparts and promote fair competition in the transport sector.

PISA said that when domestic ship owners are able to gain access to incentives, they will be able to bring down their cost of doing business and ultimately enable them to increase their efficiencies and even allow the shippers to bring down their own cost of doing business as well.

This in effect will result to a reduction in costs that will redound to the benefit of the ultimate consumer by way of more affordable products, PISA said. – Nestor Etolle