Forwarder clamors for more ro-ro stations

A player in the supply chain and logistics industry has asked the government to open more roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ports as the ongoing rehabilitation of the iconic San Juanico Bridge in Samar and Leyte has delayed deliveries of basic goods and prime commodities to businesses and residents in the said provinces for more than a month now.

Manuel L. Onrejas Jr., CEO of FAST Logistics Group, said they are now facing delivery backlogs.

“(In fact), we have around two to three weeks pending for deliveries in our Tacloban branch, but we are trying to deplete all of these pending deliveries,” Onrejas said on Wednesday at the sidelines of the signing of the Pledge of Support and the Supply Chain and Logistics Center Hotline + Portal at the DTI main office in Makati City. “We will complete those two to three days from now. From that perspective, we can now regularize our deliveries from Tacloban to Samar.” 

As delivery trucks weighing more than three tons are barred from crossing the San Juanico Bridge, Onrejas said they have to use L300 vans imported from Manila just to deliver the goods to Tacloban.

Piling costs

The FAST official said that their normal operating costs have now doubled, even tripled, but they cannot raise charges as the government has imposed a price freeze in shipping costs should happen while the rehab of the bridge, which connects Samar and Leyte, is happening.

“If the cost before is P1,000, then it will be P2,000 right now. Imagine 1,700 ten-wheeler trucks going back and forth on the San Juanico Bridge per day. So that is why the government should (really) have a backup plan,” Onrejas said.

“We take care of the costs first, then we will negotiate with our principal. The cost usually doubled, even tripled. Because if you break a wing van, then you will transfer the goods to L300 vans, that’s multi-handling, multi-touchpoints, and multi-trucks, so there are (really) costs to it,” he added.