Exporters fear recovery of the sector will be hampered by the prolonged tussle between government and truckers over a new regulation.
This as the shortage vessel space for international trade is expected to drag until 2023.
“Last week’s port disruption as a result of the truck holiday threatened to fuel another port congestion, even as the issue on the shortage in vessel space is seen to extend until 2023,” said Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) at the group’s general membership meeting on Wednesday.
But while the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) had intervened and the truck rest day was lifted two days after it was implemented, Ortiz-Luis said the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) “took a defiant stand against the flexibilities requested by the truckers.”
“We seriously hope that the PPA will reconsider,” Ortiz-Luis said.
ARTA, on the request of the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations during a meeting, recommended the suspension of, and the imposition of a moratorium on Memorandum Circular (MC) 19-2021 which among other things requires truckers to obtain a certificate of accreditation and a permit to operate to be allowed to transact at port terminals.
Truckers went on a truck holiday to protest the new rule.
Philexport said PPA rejected the proposal and will continue to implement the Ortiz-Luis said another damper came this week as the threat of the omicron virus looms.
This, Ortiz-Luis said, comes at a time when the export industry made a remarkable comeback, as performance climbed from a 50-percent plunge in April 2020 to an 18 percent year-on-year increase up to September this year.
This marks the seventh consecutive month of improved performance which is expected to further grow as economies open worldwide. Electronics will continue to account as the biggest dollar earner with exports accounting for 57.1 percent within this period.
The Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. has hiked its growth forecast for the country’s electronics exports this year to 10 percent amid strong demand, with industrial, medical, automotive, and telecom electronics products as growth drivers. Other export performers during this period were mineral products and other manufactured goods. Irma Isip
