MARINA cuts tonnage fees, exempts small vessels

THE Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) slashed the annual tonnage fee to P1 per gross ton (GT) for Philippine-registered vessels weighing more than 15 GT, while those at 15 GT or less are fully exempt for 2025, the Palace said on Tuesday. 

In a briefing, Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said MARINA also cut key regulatory fees, covering permits, safety certificates, vessel registration and accreditation, by 75% amid the government’s push to lower food costs by reducing transport costs.

It also suspended its implementation of its January issued schedule of charges for the period starting April 20 and will remain in place for a year or for the duration of the national state of energy emergency.

In a separate statement on Tuesday, Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto urged national agencies and local government units (LGUs) to help farm-produce truckers make use of lower toll and port fees.

“This begins with the speedy accreditation of farmers and traders who are qualified for the toll fee waiver,” he said.

“Unnecessary and unreasonable stopping and inspection of food trucks by police and LGU checkpoints should also stop because it delays travel and wastes fuel,” he added.

This also comes as the Department of Transportation and the Toll Regulatory Board rolled out a month-long toll-free privilege on expressways on Tuesday.

Under the Department of Agriculture (DA), vehicles carrying food and perishable goods, as well as oil tankers, will be exempted from the morning and evening truck bans in the capital region.

A total of 1,162 private trucks is accredited under the DA’s Food Lane Program, moving up to seven million kilos of food daily to markets.

“The DA’s goal is to encourage the 3,100 truckers previously registered to get their easy-to-renew accreditation,” Mr. Recto said.

If 3,000 trucks benefit from the free road toll program, combined savings will reach between P150 million and P165 million monthly.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ordered more jobs for returning overseas Filipino workers from the Middle East as he convened an inter-agency meeting tasked to oversee the country’s crisis response on Tuesday at the Palace.

“The President has paid the most attention to those who have already been helped and can still be helped by our countrymen when it comes to providing jobs,” Ms. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino.

The Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport Committee, Mr. Marcos’ inter-agency body tasked with streamlining government response amid the Middle East crisis, met on Tuesday morning at the Palace for its fourth meeting.

Mr. Marcos “insisted” on Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin on the continuous supply of petroleum products to prevent the economy’s stagnation.

“The President does not want stagnation,” said Ms. Castro.

“Inflation is already occurring because it is a result of the conflict in the Middle East, so he does not want it to reach a state of stagnation, so the supply of crude oil must remain and continue in our country.”

The Department of Migrant Workers is also working on a micro-site to be launched next week containing details about government aid and other related programs.

The Philippines is under a year-long state of national energy emergency due to the Middle East crisis.

The war stoked inflation in March as the prices of oil rose, threatening the prices of basic goods.

Mr. Marcos suspended excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene to cushion Filipino households from rising costs.

He has yet to do the same for diesel and gasoline.

The government is turning on targeted relief to ease the burden of Filipinos, focusing on the vulnerable and transport sectors. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana