SCMAP joins other business groups in expressing its support for two House Bills that seek to regulate local charges imposed by foreign shipping lines operating in the country.
The organization is a signatory in a position paper submitted to the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation last 8 June. Other groups taking part include the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Export Development Council and the Philippine Exporters Confederation.
The groups call for the consolidation of two House Bills currently being deliberated in the Lower House. The first, HB 4316, aims to regulate and standardize local charges imposed at both origin and destination, particularly based on INCOTERMS. The second, HB 4462, seeks to mandate the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to promote fair and transparent destination and other shipping charges among freight forwarders and agents of shipping lines.
The groups also expressed its support for the proposed Philippine Shippers Act of 2021, which was proposed by the Department of Trade and Industry and designates MARINA as the regulator of local shipping charges imposed by international shipping lines.
“We believe these are important safeguards in ensuring reasonable and competitive logistics costs, by putting in place mechanisms that guarantee transparency, visibility and accessibility of these charges,” the position paper states.
You can read the position paper in full by clicking here.