Several prominent personalities have thrown their support to the digitalization of ports in line with the campaign to improve the global perception of the country in terms of Ease of Doing Business, the overriding aim of the business sector.
Former Senate President Vicente ‘Tito” Sotto III said digitalization is the proper response to the problem of corruption.
“The less human intervention there is, the better. No human intervention is ideal,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Senator Panfilo Lacson said digitalization of all government processes and transactions is actually the best legacy that the Marcos Administration can leave to Filipinos.
“If you actually do this, Filipinos will remember you as their leader who succeeded in curbing corruption, not just smuggling,” Lacson said.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said he is in favor of full-digital transactions as a means to minimize, if not eradicate corruption, make government processes efficient, and enhance government interaction with businesses and the people.
“We saw the importance of digital transformation in the government. In the private sector, they were obliged to embrace digitalization and adapt to e-commerce techniques to improve their services. The government should not be left behind. There’s no better time now to prioritize the government’s digital transformation,” Go said.
The Philippine Ports Authority is pushing for the adoption of the Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry and Monitoring System or TOP-CRMS that will fully digitalize harbor services.
The project is long overdue since most countries have modernized their ports and Customs operations which resulted in the curbing of red tape, corruption, and the perennial problem of smuggling.
BBM support
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier manifested his support for TOP-CRMS in a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council and wants it implemented as soon as possible.
TOP-CRMS was also deemed to support a measure that was filed in the House of Representatives.
House Bill 4933 or the “International Maritime Trade Competitiveness Act” complements the implementation of the TOP-CRMS.
The bill’s objectives include the enhancement of the competitiveness of the country’s maritime trade by strengthening the oversight functions of relevant government agencies over the imposition of shipping charges by international shipping lines and institutionalizing mechanisms for the efficient movement of goods.
In a technical working group hearing of the Committee on Transportation at the House of Representatives last 31 January 2022, presided over by its chairperson, Palawan 2nd District Representative Jose Alvarez, PPA officials emphasized their full support for the measure particularly on making freight and other charges transparent.
As such, he stated that any increase or adjustments on said tariffs should be governed by PPA regulations.
As to the charges imposed, PPA representative Mark Jon Palomar said there exists a plethora of fees (such as documentation, emergency fund, and storage charges) that importers are unaware of the impositions but are constrained to pay, mostly to shipping lines.
He added that currently, the additional costs of importation now more than P120,000 a month are then incidentally passed on to consumers.
Avenue for recourse
As such, he underscored that the bill seeks to force shipping companies to publish their rates and give port users an avenue for recourse about unregulated charges.
Alvarez asked whether SBMA and other free ports are included in the regulation under the bill.
Palomar stated that what is covered under the measure are charges being imposed by international carriers and not by government regulators in port areas.