MANILA: The Aquino administration is looking at tapping Microsoft Philippines for a container tracking system that would help decongest major thoroughfares amid the growing number of cargo trucks.
Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said yesterday during a ports briefing organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) that the launch of the tracking system is being pursued amid the resolution of the port congestion.
“The other system that I am going to push for is the dream of completing the loop which is the container tracking system,” Almendras said. He pointed out that Microsoft Philippines has agreed to help the government in the tracking system for a fee.
Under the system, the movement of a cargo could be monitored through a simple text message once it goes out of the port, enters a warehouse, enters a container yard, and shipped again.
“Image having all cargoes monitored from the time or the point of arrival in the port until they are shipped out of the port. And what is even better is this will be made available and accessible to all stakeholders for greater efficiency and transparency,” he added.
Almendras said the government is also supporting the truck dispatching systems being adopted by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI).
According to him, utilization rate in the ports of Manila has been reduced to about 58 percent as of May 15 from a high of 105 percent during the height of the impact of the truck ban imposed by the Manila City government in February last year.
He added that the level has yet to return back to the pre-congestion level of 49 percent in February last year. PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana said the government expects a continued improvement in yard utilization level at the port of Manila which is currently pegged at 61 percent from a high of 121 percent a year ago.
“Currently, our ports have obviously improved, even compared to its pre-congestion level in February of last year. By the end of this week, the yard utilization level shall further decline,” Sta. Ana said.
He pointed out that the access of trucks to and from the ports has likewise been reduced significantly, although not perfectly free-flowing and the vessel turn-around time has also been addressed. The PPA chief pointed out that the continued improvement would result in lower shipping and trucking costs.
ICTSI vice president and head of Asia Pacific region Christian Gonzalez and ATI vice president Sean Perez said both operators would continue to expand the operations of the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) and the Manila South Harbor to cope with the growing volume of cargo.
