THE Philippines Bureau of Customs (BoC) has issued interim operational guidelines on clearance procedures for import and export containers to International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) dry port in Calamba City, Laguna, known as the Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal (LGICT).
"LGICT is an innovation we launched to improve the flow of trade in southern Luzon. As an extension of the seaport, specifically ICTSI's flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the Laguna dry port is at the heart of manufacturing activities," said ICTSI vice president Christian Gonzalez.
"The interim operational guidelines will give us headway in priming the dry port for container volumes in the coming months. We are glad to be the pioneering facility of this kind in the country," Mr Gonzalez said.
The Laguna dry port is the first customs facility under the 2015 Customs Modernisation and Tariff Act, and the first off dock container yard in southern Luzon. In February, the BoC certified LGICT as an authorised off dock customs facility, enabling the BoC to extend its functions and activities at the dry port.
LGICT, which implemented electronic data transfer technology, is designed to accelerate trade facilitation in the region. It is the first customs facility in the country to use the electronic cargo tracking system for inbound and outbound cargo transfers. Currently, a fleet of reach stackers, empties handlers and prime movers are in operation at the terminal.
LGICT has allocated five hectares of yard space as a customs area, which can accommodate 5,000 TEU at any one time. Services offered include laden container storage, an empties depot, reefer container plugs, dedicated loading and stripping area, and subleasing of select terminal areas.
Clients using the LGICT must declare goods and details of delivery in any shipping document such as master bill of lading, house bill of lading, or inward foreign manifest. Only accredited and registered trucks are allowed to deliver containers to and from MICT and LGICT. For the security and safety of cargo, trucks must have a vehicle tracking system (VTS) linked to the onsite BoC system.
"We are about to complete the building of a one-stop-shop that will house BoC and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) offices. In the near future, we will commission rubber tyre gantries in the container yard, construct container freight stations and warehouses, and as soon as possible, revive freight rail services between Laguna and the Port of Manila," said Mr Gonzalez.