DTI-7 inks deal with PISFA-Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry Central Visayas office and the Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders Association Cebu chapter, have formally signed an agreement to curb the growing number of unregistered cargo forwarding companies operating in Cebu.

DTI-7 regional director Asteria Caberte and PISFA-Cebu president Carmel Salvador led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement that will strengthen both organizations’ objective to protect the consumers from illegal forwarders.

Caberte said DTI-7 is determined to clamp down unregistered forwarding companies in Cebu and in the entire Central Visayas region.

"We would like to warn consumers that there is an increasing number of modus operandi especially in the cargo forwarding service. Usual victims are OFWs who often send cargoes to the Philippines," said Caberte.

Caberte added that DTI, together with other concerned agencies in the government already released official warning on the proliferation of illegitimate forwarding companies here with extensive connections abroad in December of last year.

However, the problem is still not solved, unless consumers will be more vigilant, and firm in giving their trust only to legitimate forwarding operators.

Extensive information dissemination had been done in countries where there is high Filipino concentration, but Caberte said there is also a need to do parallel efforts here and warn families of OFWs to tell their loved ones of the existence of cargo forwarding scam.

"We are here to clamp them down. DTI is serious about this. A lot of Filipinos especially those working abroad and their families in the Philippines have already been victimized," said Caberte.

Caberte said it is easier for DTI to track down the illegitimate operators if the agency will have the support of the industry players.

"The timeline is-- as soon as possible," said Caberte.

At present, there are 51 legitimate cargo forwarder companies who are member of PISFA, and have accreditation from the Philippine Shippers Bureau. But the small home-based forwarders who are deemed as fly-by-nights, are twice in number than the legitimate companies.

In 2012, the PSB has released a list of identified blacklisted cargo forwarders operating in different countries, such as the US, Europe, Middle East, and United Arab Emirates.

DTI is also urging consumers to be vigilant in this campaign by informing the office of any information of suspected illegitimate forwarding service.

Salvador said her organization and DTI-7 are doubling their time in running after these unregistered cargo forwarders specifically that Christmas season is coming and OFW families should alert their loved ones abroad to only transact with legitimate forwarders.

"A lot of Filipinos and even businesses are already victimized by these unrecognized cargo forwarder companies. Most of them maintain very impressive websites," said Salvador in a press conference.

Earlier, Salvador already warned customers, specifically the OFWs to be careful in sending their boxes or packages, as number of fly-by-night cargo forwarders has grown in number.

On the other hand, Salvador said that those companies who are not yet members of PISFA and still have to get accreditation from the Philippine Shippers Bureau, will have to do the compliance now, otherwise they will be part of the PISFA-DTI clean-up. (FREEMAN)