According to JTF CV Shield commander Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, it is the right time for shippers to help rid local ports of overstaying shipments and containers and bring them to their respective storage destinations.
“We are also giving special consideration to cargo vehicles in order to ensure unnecessary and redundant inspections,” he said.
Special lanes have been designated to ensure the smooth flow of cargo vehicles coming out of ports, the task force commander added.
“The inspection of these cargo vehicles will only be done at the Dedicated Control Points, and if only necessary,” he said. The DCPs have been set up along major thoroughfares as part of the protocol crafted in handling cargo vehicles during the COVID-19 crisis.
According to Eleazar, the decongestion of ports is government’s way of preparing for the normal operations of ports once the Luzon quarantine is lifted.
Metro Manila ports faced massive congestion in 2014, which led to a P2.5-billion daily loss to the economy, according to the House Transportation Committee. Previous efforts to decongest ports resulted in traffic jams along major thoroughfares leading to Manila.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) — The Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield on Sunday urged shippers and consignees to take advantage of clear, traffic-free roads to remove their shipments from ports in Luzon, amid the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.
