Subic Bay Freeport – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is pushing the Port of Subic to become the major container terminal of the Philippines by providing free accreditation from today up to December 31 this year to all port-related businesses.
Given the hashtag “#GOSUBICBAY,” the SBMA is having an open window access for container port-related businesses that kicked off during the 43rd Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday.
SBMA Chairperson Wilma Eisma said the agency plans to showcase and broaden industry awareness of the use of the Port of Subic Bay’s Container Terminal, increase container port traffic and utilization rate, and to help decongest the Port of Manila.
“Subic Freeport has a faster turnaround time, there’s no red tape, has reduced processing time, no congestion, no traffic and no truck ban,” she said. She pointed out that vessels dock upon their arrival, has a lower tariff, a higher efficiency with ISO quality service by the SBMA.
She also said that the container port is managed by the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), an affiliate of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and is known as one of the best port management companies in the country.
She added that the agency plans to accommodate Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), reiterating that this is part of her 10-point agenda and is part of the agency’s contribution in the promotion of inclusive businesses.
According to SBMA’s Seaport Promotion Manager Ronnie Yambao, the new marketing strategy of the agency has a coverage of: the accreditation fee of $200 will be waived; the first 80 new business entrants and the first 20 accredited entities due for renewal of accreditation certificate; and will cover ship agents, freight forwarders, brokerage firms and trucking services related to container movement.
“These entities with accreditation certificate will be entitled to free-of-charge accreditation fee if they will guarantee to bring in at least one container within one month from filing of application or renewal of accreditation certificate,” Yambao said.