Same old problems? Maybe it’s time for something new

Living from paycheck to paycheck?

Well, I’m not here to offer a solution. Bills are high, food prices are skyrocketing, it feels like breathing may soon be taxed. It’s not surprising that the Philippines’ headline inflation rate rose to 7.2 percent in September, up from 6.1 percent in August. No wonder P1,000 feels like P100 nowadays. We are not hoping for the lowest prices but at least that they be affordable to the average Filipino worker.

There have been protests for wages, against corruption, by farmers, transport drivers, students and others, and last week Customs brokers staged a rest-day protest on 5 October, followed by a three-day trucking holiday beginning 6 October.

Among their concerns were the difficulty in returning empty containers, port congestion, and mounting logistics charges. It was a reminder that these problems cannot be simply wished away.

Their frustration is understandable — time lost, expenses, with drivers and operators usually bearing the consequences. The question, therefore, is not whether the industry has a problem. It is how we can finally get everyone on board to solve it because the solutions have been on the table for some time.

Long queues, delayed empty container returns, rising transport costs, and inefficiencies in cargo movement have long burdened truckers, shipping lines, importers, and exporters. This is nothing new. When the cost of moving goods increases, the consumers eventually feel the pain.

Perhaps digitalization can offer a practical way forward. A modern digital system can help track containers, coordinate truck movements, reduce unnecessary waiting, and make transactions more transparent. It is not the magic solution for all, of course, but it can be a start when these problems have persisted for far too long. Changes in the old aged systems are nothing to be feared, but they could be the key to unlocking new doors of possibilities.

In fact, the Philippine Ports Authority, with the vision of general manager Jay Santiago, had proposed a digital solution back in 2022 to improve container returns through the Trusted Operator Program Container Registry and Monitoring System.

The Philippines takes in more import containers than it exports, creating an imbalance that affects the availability and movement of containers. Surely, digitalization can improve coordination, but shipping lines must ensure adequate capacity and accessible return facilities.

Ports, truckers, shipping lines, customs brokers, and the relevant government agencies must work together because no single stakeholder can solve this problem alone.

Perhaps we can learn from Japan. They have developed CONPAS, a system designed to improve container transport efficiency and productivity by reducing congestion at container terminal gates and shortening the time trucks spend at terminals.

Through appointment scheduling and advance coordination, the system helps manage truck arrivals more efficiently, allowing terminal operations to be more predictable. The principle is simple: if everyone knows when a truck is expected to arrive, and the necessary information is available in advance, there is less reason for vehicles to queue unnecessarily and spend time waiting at terminal gates. It is a practical application of digitalization to a problem that is familiar to ports around the world.

In fact, on 13 October, delegates from the Japanese ports of Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka and Shimizu visited the ports of Manila and Batangas. Their engagement includes discussions on supply chain coordination, digital innovation, decarbonization and improving the efficiency of container and ferry networks.

Beyond the courtesy visits and technical discussions, this is an opportunity to exchange ideas and examine what works in their country that can be helpful to our own. It is a great opportunity to learn from Japan’s experience and identify digital solutions that can be adapted to the Philippine setting.

The bigger challenge, however, would be ensuring that proposed solutions move beyond the planning stage. Consultation should not be treated as an obstacle to reform but it should help make reforms workable. At the same time, the search for consensus must not be a reason for allowing longstanding problems to remain unresolved indefinitely. Because digital systems can only deliver their intended benefits when stakeholders agree on the process, responsibilities are clearly defined, and the industry is willing to work on legitimate concerns.

One thing is clear: the country is exploring possible solutions and Japan’s experience offers useful lessons on what digital innovation can achieve.

Meanwhile, we wish Santiago a belated happy birthday. May the year ahead bring him continued strength and wisdom as he leads the modernization of Philippine ports to make the maritime industry more efficient, responsive and competitive.

There is much work to be done, but with the right solutions and the willingness of stakeholders to work together, we will succeed — because we are all in the same boat!