The suspension of “pass-through fees” collected by local government units for vehicles transporting goods through their areas received a warm welcome from the manufacturing and transportation sector, a Trade official said on Saturday.
Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Kim Lokin said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City that Executive Order No. 41 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently would help local businesses lower their transportation costs.
“We are very grateful to the President because he has at least acted on this. This has been a longstanding issue (raised) not just from the truckers, but even the manufacturers, and local businesses,” Lokin said.
She said the unauthorized collection of pass-through fees has been going on since 2006 and was only addressed this year.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organization (ACTOO) Vice President Rina Papa said they are looking forward to being part of the technical working group that will craft the EO’s implementing rules and regulations.
Papa revealed that transport vehicles could save up to P30,000 on logistics costs per year in Manila alone.
President Marcos recently signed EO 41, which suspends the unauthorized fees collected by local government units (LGU) as part of the government’s plan to improve the ease of doing business in the country.
