SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has taken measures to provide port clients with the much-needed financial support, amid the ongoing rise in fuel costs in the global market.
“These initiatives, including reduced fees and extended free storage, provide a fiscal cushion to reinforce investor confidence and prevent supply chain bottlenecks,” said SBMA chairman and administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, noting that these are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order No. 110, which placed the entire country in a state of national energy emergency due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
According to Aliño, importers, suppliers, consignees, vessel owners, and consumers, will experience the impact of these measures through their respective counterparts – terminal operators, cargo handlers, brokers, consolidators, processors, ship agents, and shipping lines, resulting in a cascading effect throughout the supply chain.
The SBMA will implement a 5% tariff reduction on all commercial vessels, including harbor fees, berthing fees/ anchorage fees, and harbor cleaning fees, as well as a 5% tariff reduction on cargo charges including wharfage fees, and storage fees.
“We will also implement a 5% tariff reduction on SBMA shares such as pilotage fee, hauling services, tugboat services, heavy equipment rental, line handling services, handling services, water tendering, cargo handling for containerized cargo, and bunkering services,” furthered Aliño,.
Additionally, the SBMA is also offering free storage for non-containerized cargo, and free storage period for an additional 2-day extension.
To further aid port clients, the SBMA will temporarily suspend the collection of shares from terminal operators/cargo handlers for liquid bulk cargo handling and related activities; the implementation of the one percent admission fee for liquid bulk; and the implementation of the ten percent increase on cargo handling and miscellaneous charges of non-containerized/ general cargoes.
Aliño assured port stakeholders that these measures shall take effect immediately upon its approval and ratification by the SBMA board of directors, adding that these will remain in force until geopolitical tensions subside, at which point they shall be lifted via a formal issuance following board approval.
Meanwhile, SBMA senior deputy administrator for port operations Ronnie Yambao said that the 2026 revenue projections will generate P76 million in fiscal relief over a one-year period.
Yambao added that the direct tariff reductions will specifically account for approximately P49 million, while the suspension of new policies is expected to save stakeholders and domestic consumers an additional P25 million annually.
The extension of free storage periods will contribute approximately P2 million in operational savings for port stakeholders for a year. SBMA PR/Photo: Subic International Terminal Corp.
