Higher hauling rates to hike cost of goods

By: 11 years ago

Prices of goods are expected to drastically increase in the coming days after truckers raised their hauling rates by an average of 50 percent effective March 15 as a result of the truck ban imposed by the city government of Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Prices of goods are expected to drastically increase in the coming days after truckers raised their hauling rates by an average of 50 percent effective March 15 as a result of the truck ban imposed by the city government of Manila.

The higher cost of transporting containerized cargo from the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) or South Harbor to points in Metro Manila and northern and southern Luzon has resulted in additional costs to traders which would eventually have to be passed on to consumers in terms of higher prices.

The Confederation of Truckers Associations of the Philippines (CTAP), which groups the biggest local trucking firms, agreed to increase their hauling rates by an average of 50 percent during a CTAP regular meeting on March 12.

Other groups such as the Integrated North Harbor Truckers Association are also expected to raise their hauling rates up to the CTAP rate or even higher.

The CTAP called the meeting to discuss raising hauling rates after the city government of Manila imposed a truck ban on Feb. 24. Truckers protested the ban and declared a three-day trucking holiday, which caused a huge backlog in cargo releases at the ports.

Long waiting time

CTAP president Ruperto Bayocot said the higher hauling rates were necessary due to the long waiting period for trucks as a result of the Manila truck ban.

“From just one day before the truck ban, the turn-around for haulers became three nights and two days,” Bayocot said.

Under the new CTAP guidelines increasing the rates, the fee for transporting a 20-foot container from the MICT to Manila (Port Area, Intramuros, Binondo and Tondo) is now P10,500 from P7,000, and for a 40-footer, P12,450 from P8,300.

Shipments to Ermita, Malate, Sta. Cruz and Quiapo now cost P11,400 for 20-footers from P7,600 and P13,050 for 40-footers from P8,700.

The trucking fee to Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, Sampaloc and other points within Manila is now at P13,050 (20-footer) from P8,700 and P14,700 (40-footer) from P9,800.

Rates outside Manila

Within Quezon City (points not going beyond Edsa) the cost is now P14,550 (20-footer) and P15,900 (40-footer); within Quezon City (points beyond Edsa), P16,350 and P18,000; Makati and Mandaluyong (points not going beyond Edsa), P15,750 and P17,250; Makati and Mandaluyong (points beyond Edsa), P17,250 and P18,750; Bulacan (Meycauayan and Balagtas), P19,350 and P21,600; Cavite (Bacoor, Imus, Kawit and Noveleta), P20,400 and P22,200; Pampanga (Apalit), P23,400 and P25,500; Pampanga (Macabebe, Masantol, Sto. Tomas, Minalin, San Fernando, San Simon and Mexico), P26,700 and P28,800;

Zambales (Olongapo and Subic), P41,250 and P43,800; Bataan (Mariveles), P44,400 and P47,100; Laguna (San Pedro and Biñan), P21,000 and P22,650; Batangas via Tagaytay (Laurel, Tuy, Lian and Nasugbu), P35,850 and P36,750; Batangas via Sto. Tomas (Sto Tomas), P24,750 and P27,600; Camarines Sur (Naga City), P80,850 and P89,250; Albay via Andaya Highway (Tabaco, Daraga, Tiwi and Legazpi City), P86,550 and P100,350; Cagayan (Aparri), P106,650 and P115,350; Quezon (Sariaya), P34,200 and P36,750; Pangasinan (Lingayen, Dagupan and Sta Barbara), P51,000 and P53,850; and La Union (San Fernando and Naguilian), P60,300 and P64,050.—Adlai Noel O. Velasco