IT’S final. There will be no cut in the wharfage fee for exports at this time, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
In an interview, PPA general manager Atty. Oscar Sevilla said the 90% wharfage fee discount implemented from April to December 2007 offered few benefits for shippers and meant less funds for major PPA projects, slowing down many in the pipeline.
The wharfage fee is one of two major sources of PPA revenues, the other being port dues.
“We will not entertain any petition to introduce (the discount) again at this time…with exporters claiming that the reduced fee for the past nine months (had) negligible (effects),” Sevilla said.
Only a direct order from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will make the PPA change its mind.
“The Transport Secretary is also firm in his earlier stance not to bring back the cut. (He also said) any petition to reduce port fees should be coursed through his office and not the PPA,” Sevilla said.
Since January, the PPA has reverted to the original wharfage fee of P259.70 and P391.05 per 20-footer and 40-footer, respectively, after the reduced fees of P20 per 20-footer and P40 per 40-footer lapsed on December 31.
Based on PPA records, exporters saved P27 million in the first six months of the implementation of the reduced fee. The PPA, however, lost about P100 million in revenues since April last year.
