Retailers hail waiving of truckers’ fee
Marcos explained the pass-through fee varied from town to town, and trucks often had to line up at roadblocks for inspection.
Daily TribuneMarcos explained the pass-through fee varied from town to town, and trucks often had to line up at roadblocks for inspection.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ensures that no one goes hungry as he personally oversees the distribution of food stamps and 25-kilo sack of rice to each 4Ps beneficiaries in Surigao del Norte on Friday. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PCO
The Grain Retailers Confederation of the Philippines on Friday welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s suspension of the "pass-through fees" collected by many local government units in the country.
The group's spokesperson, Orly Manuntag, told the DAILY TRIBUNE the suspension would greatly help the agriculture sector deliver fresh produce to Metro Manila without the added transport cost.
Manuntag said the order would help farmers and retailers lower the prices of their goods, particularly next month, the peak of the harvest season.
He said the pass-through fees collected by LGUs from truckers to allow them to traverse their area added to the transport cost and delayed the delivery of goods from the provinces to the National Capital Region.
In Manila alone, agricultural producers pay as much as P500 per truck per passage, or from P2,000 to P3,000 per month, Manuntag said.
Manuntag, also an official of the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement, said the price of rice would naturally go down below the price cap of P41 per kilo for regular and P45 per kilo of well-milled rice.
He said the coming harvest will assure a plentiful supply and contribute to lowering the retail price of the staple grain.
"Even if they extend the price cap for two weeks, there would be no more effect since there would be a plentiful harvest," he said.
Marcos said he suspended the pass-through fee through Executive Order 41, which will help improve the ease of business and reduce transportation costs.
In a media interview in Siargao, Marcos added that the pass-through fee varied from town to town, and trucks often had to line up at roadblocks for inspection. This caused delays and increased transportation costs.
"We suspended the pass-through fees because, first of all, each town you pass through imposes different requirements and sets up roadblocks for inspections. The fees also varied from place to place," he said.
"When you wait during these inspections, it takes time. I'm sure you've seen it; there are trucks lined up, and some even stay there overnight," Marcos added.
With TIZIANA PIATOS @tribunephl_tiz