Post by chan on Jul 27, 2009 7:58:15 GMT -5
Brokers, truckers set strike
Written by VG Cabuag / Reporter
Sunday, 26 July 2009
AN umbrella group of cargo truckers and a group of customs brokers’ have threatened to hold a strike in the movement of goods across the country starting on Tuesday until the Presidential Antismuggling Group (PASG) head leaves office.
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines, a group of 5,000 operators all over the country, has joined forces with the Professional Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines (PCBAPI) and some importers to stop the movement of goods, saying they are incurring losses as a result of the antismuggling drive of PASG that started early this month.
According to PCBAPI president Agapito Mendez, the customs brokers’ and the truckers’ network can halt the movement of goods from major ports in the country, including those delivered by airports through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and other seaports in Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Subic Bay.
“In deference to the President’s Sona [State of the Nation Address, on Monday], we are going to hold our strike on Tuesday starting at 7 a.m. at the port of Manila and other ports nationwide,” the groups said.
PCBAPI is a second-tier group composed of licensed professionals. It has links with other groups, such as the Visayas-Mindanao Customs Brokers Association Inc. and National Confederation of Customs Brokers of the Philippines.
The groups said they lost billions of pesos in the past weeks after PASG operatives “indiscriminately impounded the trucks” for what they say as random checks for possible smuggling.
They claimed the PASG, led by Antonio Villar Jr., does not have the proper papers to carry out the apprehension. They said some were asking for fees ranging from P20,000 and P40,000 before the release of their containers.
The cargoes were brought to private compounds in Dagat-dagatan in Navotas, and in San Marcelino and Luneta Park in Manila.
The PASG strongly denied the allegations, saying the complainants were creating a bogey to cover up for their deficiencies.
Written by VG Cabuag / Reporter
Sunday, 26 July 2009
AN umbrella group of cargo truckers and a group of customs brokers’ have threatened to hold a strike in the movement of goods across the country starting on Tuesday until the Presidential Antismuggling Group (PASG) head leaves office.
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines, a group of 5,000 operators all over the country, has joined forces with the Professional Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines (PCBAPI) and some importers to stop the movement of goods, saying they are incurring losses as a result of the antismuggling drive of PASG that started early this month.
According to PCBAPI president Agapito Mendez, the customs brokers’ and the truckers’ network can halt the movement of goods from major ports in the country, including those delivered by airports through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and other seaports in Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Subic Bay.
“In deference to the President’s Sona [State of the Nation Address, on Monday], we are going to hold our strike on Tuesday starting at 7 a.m. at the port of Manila and other ports nationwide,” the groups said.
PCBAPI is a second-tier group composed of licensed professionals. It has links with other groups, such as the Visayas-Mindanao Customs Brokers Association Inc. and National Confederation of Customs Brokers of the Philippines.
The groups said they lost billions of pesos in the past weeks after PASG operatives “indiscriminately impounded the trucks” for what they say as random checks for possible smuggling.
They claimed the PASG, led by Antonio Villar Jr., does not have the proper papers to carry out the apprehension. They said some were asking for fees ranging from P20,000 and P40,000 before the release of their containers.
The cargoes were brought to private compounds in Dagat-dagatan in Navotas, and in San Marcelino and Luneta Park in Manila.
The PASG strongly denied the allegations, saying the complainants were creating a bogey to cover up for their deficiencies.
