House eyes lowering shipping cost, consumer prices

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will work with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in passing a bill seeking to lower shipping costs which would lead to lower prices of consumer goods, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Thursday.

Cayetano said high shipping rates lead to an increase in the cost of imported raw materials and goods which force local importers to pass the costs to consumers.

“Local producers who import raw materials are forced to pay these exorbitant shipping fees, which jack up their production costs, and,  in the process, result in higher prices for domestic consumers,” Cayetano said in a statement.

“Ang prinoprotektaha natin dito in the end ay ang ating mga consumers (At the of the day, we are protecting consumers). This will also help the government improve its tax collection capabilities,” he added.

Details of the bill have not been made public yet.

The House Speaker said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has yet to submit a draft bill, which will be reconciled with the pending bills in the House of Representatives.

The trade department said it is eyeing to submit the draft bill before the end of January.

The trade department earlier eyed issuing a Joint Administrative Order on the regulation of local fees charged by foreign shipping lines but later decided on asking the President instead to issue an Executive Order on this matter.

A pending bill (House Bill No. 4316) filed by Bagong Henerasyon Partylist Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, aimed to standardize local shipping charges at both the origin and destination imposed by international shipping firms.

HB 4462 filed by Ang Probinsyano Partylist Rep. Ronnie Ong, meanwhile, mandates the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to promote fair and transparent destination fees and other shipping charges among freight forwarders and agents of international shipping lines.