PPA enforces cut in wharfage fees

Pursuant to the demands of the export industry to cope with the strengthening peso, the Philippine Port Authority implements a reduction of wharfage fees.

PPA general manager Oscar Sevilla said that wharfage fees of P20 and P40 will be enforced from what used to be P259.70 and P391.05 charged for the 20- and 40-footer vans of containerized export cargoes, respectively.

The move, according to a press release, is the second implementation of same directive this year. The first implementation was from April 20 to July 20. Now, it will be from August 13 to December 30.

This despite an earlier statement expressed by Sevilla that the move is “greatly detrimental to PPA’s revenue targets for the year, as it loses P30 million a month from all ports nationwide.”

He said port revenues like those derived from wharfage are plowed back to fund all local infrastructure projects of PPA for medium to long-term to sustain its operations as well as to realize its corporate vision.

Sevilla said PPA’s fees are less than one percent of the total shipping charges paid by exporters.  —  Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV