Subic Bay Freeport – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is eyeing measures that would provide much needed financial relief to port clients reeling from the continuing rise of fuel costs in the global market.
According to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, the said measures are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order No. 110 that declares a national energy emergency due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Aliño said that the SBMA aims to provide aid to industries affected by the Middle East crisis by ensuring that cost-stabilizing measures for the transport and food sectors are implemented without delay.
“These initiatives, including reduced fees and extended free storage, provide a fiscal cushion to reinforce investor confidence and prevent supply chain bottlenecks,” he added.
The official cited that key industry participants such as importers, suppliers, consignees, vessel owners, and consumers, will experience the impact of these measures through their respective counterparts, such as terminal operators, cargo handlers, brokers, consolidators, processors, ship agents, and shipping lines, resulting in a cascading effect throughout the supply chain.
The SBMA plans to implement a five percent tariff reduction charges on all commercial vessels, including their harbor fees, berthing fees/ anchorage fee, and harbor cleaning fees. The agency also plans to implement a five percent tariff reduction on cargo charges including wharfage fees, and storage fees.
“We are also eyeing to implement a five percent tariff reduction on SBMA shares such as pilotage fee, hauling service, tugboat services, heavy equipment rental, line handling services, chandling services, water tendering, cargo handling for containerized cargo, and bunkering services,” he added.
The SBMA also plans to add free storage for non-containerized cargo, and free storage period being extended for two more days.
The SBMA also plans to suspend policy implementation such as collection of SBMA shares from terminal operators/ cargo handlers for liquid bulk cargo handling and related activities; implementation of the one percent admission fee for liquid bulk; and the implementation of the ten percent increase on cargo handling and miscellaneous charges of non-containerized/ general cargoes.
Chairman Aliño said that these measures shall take effect immediately upon approval and ratification by the SBMA Board of Directors, adding that these will remain in force until geopolitical tensions subside, at which point they shall be lifted via formal issuance following Board Approval.
Senior Deputy Administrator for Port Operations Ronnie Yambao said that based on 2026 revenue projections, “we estimate that these measures will provide a total of Php 76 million in fiscal relief over a one-year period.”
“Specifically, the direct tariff reductions will account for approximately Php 49 million (a computation arriving at this figure is attached to this Memorandum, for your reference), while the suspension of new policies is expected to save stakeholders and domestic consumers an additional Php 25 million annually,” he added.
“Furthermore, we have identified that the extension of free storage periods will contribute approximately Php 2 million in operational savings for port stakeholders for a year.”