CPA execs, business groups meet to settle port concerns

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its President Ma. Teresa Chan along with the Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders Association - Cebu (PISFA) President Carmel de Pio-Salvador, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Executive Director Marlene Bedia and Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc.-Cebu (CCBI) President Alfredo G. Lanticse  had a meeting with the commissioners of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) last March 17, 2015 to lobby against certain provisions on the recent CPA Memorandum Circular No. 02-2015 about the increase in storage fees and penalties for overstaying containerized cargoes in the yards of Cebu International Port (CIP).  It was a measure resorted to by the CPA board to decongest the CIP.

Representatives of the business groups were given the floor by CPA General Manager VADM Edmund Tan to initially review CPA's proposed amendments which they based on the feedback by the stakeholders and the result of the initial implementation of the circular.

Data presented by OPASCOR President lawyer Riveral showed that the average withdrawal of cargoes rose from about 343 daily to about 550 even reaching a high of 742 upon the implementation of the increase in fees and penalties. This bolstered one theory that some importers used the CIP as their container yard by intentionally delaying the withdrawal of their cargoes even long after they were cleared for release by the Bureau of Customs.

The proposed amendments of the mentioned memorandum circular shall be deliberated in a public hearing on March 23, 2015 (Monday) at CPA Social Hall.  To mention some, Section 5 of Article II (Storage for foreign cargoes) shall be amended to Storage Surcharge for Cleared but Overstaying Foreign Cargoes (containerized); Section 6 (Early Submission of Import Documents to BOC) shall be amended to "all cargo owners must submit within 48 working hours after arrival of the vessel, the Import Entry and Internal Revenue Declaration (Entry Form) to BOC to encourage withdrawal of cargoes within the Free Storage Period and to avoid storage and storage surcharge thereafter.

Importers, exporters, truckers, international shippers, seafreight forwarders, arrastre and stevedoring, customs brokers and logistics industries are expected to come to the public hearing. (FREEMAN)