Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has moved to lower prices of goods by opening at least seven new routes of the Roll-On Roll-Off system.
Arroyo flew to Cebu City on Monday to conduct the oversight committee meeting on Transportation, which sought to tackle the issues of the system, particularly to make it more efficient to bring down the prices of goods.
Rep. Cesar Sarmiento of Catanduanes, chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation, headed the proceeding at the social hall of the Cebu Port Authority.
This developed as the Maritime Industry Authority had revealed during the hearing that because of Arroyo’s prodding to open more Roro routes, at least seven new routes will be opened because several companies have applied to service them.
“The reason why we put up the RORO system is we want to bring the cost of transporting food from Mindanao, where it’s plentiful, to Visayas and Luzon. And we hope that we’ll continue to reap [its] fruits,” Arroyo said.
But during the hearing, it was revealed that except for those using ten-wheeler trucks, the cost of transporting goods is more expensive through the RORO than the conventional methods.
This is due to several factors including logistics, weighing methods, lack of reefer vans and trucker fees.
During the hearing, it was revealed that exorbitant fees were being collected for the use of weighing scales. This prompted the Speaker to ask the Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to take over the operation of weighing scales since they have their weighing scales. “We will try to have another hearing to find out if the DPWH can be the one to take over the weighing,” she said.
The Committee also discussed the issue on the high costs of transport brought about by the unavailability of reefer vans for perishable goods. However, it was revealed that there is actually an excess of vans at present.
In addition, it was revealed that there are compartmentalized reefer vans that may be utilized by farmers. Arroyo urged the Department of Agriculture to make accessible this information available to farmers to enable them to use the reefer vans.
On the fees imposed by the truckers, Arroyo said that another oversight committee hearing will be called to specifically tackle this issue.
She announced that a lot were tackled and accomplished by the Oversight Committee, including updates on the new routes that will be opened in areas without sea transport.
The panel earlier discovered that there were several unserved routes in the RORO system.
On Arroyo’s prodding, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) publicized the new routes. Several applicants thereafter submitted their intention to service the new routes which will lead to the opening up of new missionary routes in at least seven areas within the year.