PPA expects increase in shipping of cargo, balikbayan boxes during holiday season

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Tuesday said it expects an increase in the shipping of foreign and domestic cargo during the holidays as Filipinos send balikbayan boxes home.

PPA spokesperson Eunice Samonte said the increase is usually seen from October to February.

“Sa mga ganitong panahon talaga nagiging marami yung cargo, mula October nagsimula na 'yan dumami, hanggat magtatagal 'yan hanggang February,” Samonte said in an interview with GMA’s Balitanghali.

She added that there has been an increase in shipping this year.

“Base sa ating statistics, mayroon tayo ditong pag-increase mula sa nakaraang taon mula January hanggang October, mayroon tayong 7.16% na increase sa domestic and foreign container traffic natin,” she said.

(Based on our statistics, from the previous year, for January to October we have a 7.16% increase in our domestic and foreign container traffic.)

“Ito yung inaasahan pa natin na madadagdagan pa habang papalapit na yung Christmas season dahil ito nga 'yung mga kababayan natin na magpapadala na dito sa ating mga kababayan dito. 'Yan yung mga inaasahan natin,” she added.

(This is what we expect in the coming Christmas season because our fellow Filipinos abroad will be sending their packages here.)

The PPA spokesperson said the average timeline to deliver the cargo in the country usually takes one to two months.

“Itong average timeline natin usually sa mga foreign cargo yung mga balikbayan boxes nila they can expect na matatanggap nila ito ng one to two months. So two months na yung maximum na matatanggap ito. Sa domestic naman natin na shipping merong pinakamatagal na dyan yung one week,” she explained.

(This is our average timeline, usually with foreign cargo, their balikbayan boxes, they can expect to receive it in one to two months. So two months is the maximum that it can be received. As for our domestic shipping, the longest time is one week.)

Samonte said that they will deliver the cargo despite the several delays that might occur.

She also said the PPA will continuously improve its services and port system.

“Pero paliwanag ko lang din kung paano napupunta sa ating mga kababayan, simula sa pagdaong ng mga kargo so i-inspect yan ng BOC [Bureau of Customs] sila yung nagtse-check ng mga laman nito at sometimes nagkakaroon ng mga delay, pero ine-expect naman natin sa ating mga kababayan na sinusubukan nating i-deliver sa kanila yung kanilang mga cargo sa lalong madaling panahon,” she said.

(The BOC inspects the cargo upon arrival, they are the ones who are checking its content and sometimes there are delays but we are trying to deliver their cargo to them as soon as possible.) 

The BOC is currently working with local firms to deliver thousands of balikbayan boxes, abandoned by foreign courier services, to their intended recipients. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA Integrated News