THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will soon issue implementing guidelines for the radiation monitoring project but these guidelines will not yet include the amount of the monitoring fee.
This after the PPA decided to conduct another public hearing to specifically clear the issue of the P50 radiation monitoring fee per container, the collection of which is being petitioned by port operators International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) and Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI).
The PPA expects to start radiation scanning of all import and export cargo passing through ICTSI and ATI fairly soon.
Both ICTSI and ATI are asking that a radiation monitoring fee per container be charged, noting that the radiation portal they will operate would entail cost such as electricity and security, among others.
The issuance of the implementing guidelines, requested by the Port of Manila, is now pending with the Commercial Services Department.
Based on the results of the first public hearing, port users and other stakeholders were not strongly opposed to the collection of the radiation monitoring fee but said they would like to first see how the port operators arrived at the P50 fee.
The US government has donated two radiation portals to the Philippines for installation within ICTSI and ATI premises. The portals will ensure that all containerized cargoes, particularly those US-bound, are free from materials used for weapons of mass destruction. The equipment will also provide ports with the capability to detect and apprehend persons or organizations trying to sneak in nuclear material into the country.
All import and export cargoes landed, stored in piers, airports, terminal facilities including container yards, freight stations under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Customs, scanned or not, will be charged the radiation monitoring fee.
