PHILIPPINE exporters said they are in talks with the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to win an exemption for their cargoes from the Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo (E-TRACC) system, saying they have already been tracked.
Philippine Exporters Confederation president Sergio Ortiz-Luis said the organization is in talks with the BoC 'towards the exemption of exports from this because most of our logistics providers use GPS (global positioning system),' he told BusinessWorld.
The exporters' comments come after the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation (SEIPI) also spoke of the redundancy of E-TRACC system.
SEIPI president Danilo Lachica also complained of the cost to exporters PHP1 million (US$17,344) to PHP2 million on top of the rising logistics costs.
Said Mr Lachica: 'Plus, there has been no record of export diversion to the domestic market because exporters need to ship these goods; otherwise, they don't get paid. So E-TRACC is redundant and extra cost and time for exporters.'
Launched in 2020 through Customs Memorandum Order No. 04-2020, E-TRACC enables real-time monitoring of inland movements of containerized goods.
With the use of a GPS-enabled tracking device, the system secures the transport of the goods and prevents diversion and tampering.
In July 2022, the BoC fully implemented E-TRACC on all containers processed with no exceptions.
British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Chris Nelson told BusinessWorld that the chamber understands why there is a request for the system to be waived for exporters, where cargo diversion is not a concern.
'The issue is obviously for import. While we haven't heard particularly of this system from our companies, what I would say is that we support things that strengthen and support legitimate sales,' said Mr Nelson.
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Philippine Exporters Confederation president Sergio Ortiz-Luis said the organization is in talks with the BoC 'towards the exemption of exports from this because most of our logistics providers use GPS (global positioning system),' he told BusinessWorld.
The exporters' comments come after the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation (SEIPI) also spoke of the redundancy of E-TRACC system.
SEIPI president Danilo Lachica also complained of the cost to exporters PHP1 million (US$17,344) to PHP2 million on top of the rising logistics costs.
Said Mr Lachica: 'Plus, there has been no record of export diversion to the domestic market because exporters need to ship these goods; otherwise, they don't get paid. So E-TRACC is redundant and extra cost and time for exporters.'
Launched in 2020 through Customs Memorandum Order No. 04-2020, E-TRACC enables real-time monitoring of inland movements of containerized goods.
With the use of a GPS-enabled tracking device, the system secures the transport of the goods and prevents diversion and tampering.
In July 2022, the BoC fully implemented E-TRACC on all containers processed with no exceptions.
British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Chris Nelson told BusinessWorld that the chamber understands why there is a request for the system to be waived for exporters, where cargo diversion is not a concern.
'The issue is obviously for import. While we haven't heard particularly of this system from our companies, what I would say is that we support things that strengthen and support legitimate sales,' said Mr Nelson.
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