The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has recommended to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to find other cost-effective alternatives to the proposed Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry and Monitoring System (TOP-CRMS).
ARTA said its Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) showed the TOP-CRMS would burden stakeholders due to the added costs that it would entail.
“However, the final decision on implementing the regulation rests with the PPA and the PPA Board,” said ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez in a statement over the weekend.
ARTA said a key concern for re-evaluation was the PPA’s statement during a June 2023 consultation meeting, stating that there is currently no port congestion. This contradicts the system’s intended purpose, as stated in the submitted RIS.
Although it is noted that the TOP-CRMS is preventive for future congestion, the costs of implementation for the industry should be thoughtfully considered, ARTA added.
“Our re-evaluation was diligent, and it stands as our final recommendation, unless either party provides relevant additional documents,” Perez said.
The RIS was conducted upon the request of various stakeholders to be affected by the proposed regulation. The re-evaluation process is pursuant to ARTA’s mandate to review the proposed regulation by the PPA under Section 17 (g) of Republic Act No. 11032, or the Ease Doing Business Law. The report was released to relevant agencies on July 25.
The re-evaluation process, based on several grounds, considered input and data from both government agencies and private stakeholders.
