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There has been improvement in the releasing of air cargo at Ninoy Aquino International Airport following the addition of staging areas and other initiatives implemented by both the Bureau of Customs-NAIA and People’s Air Cargo & Warehousing Co., Inc.
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All backlog cargoes that arrived in May are already “accounted for with some releases that are pending” while the June backlog is being worked on
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BOC-NAIA district collector Maria Yasmin Mapa said the situation is now under control and the target is to eliminate all backlog by the end of July
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The aim is to take advantage of lower cargoes during what’s considered as the ‘ghost month’ of August to normalize the flow of releases before volume starts to pick up again during the peak ‘ber’ months
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Paircargo added three temporary staging areas approximately two weeks ago, and has been using the parking slots at the Duty Free area as a processing site
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Paircargo has also contracted the warehouse at the Duty Free area, which was approved by BOC for import cargo storage and releasing activities, and is just waiting for clearance to finally utilize it
There has been improvement in the releasing of cargo at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) following the addition of staging areas and other initiatives implemented by both the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-NAIA and People’s Air Cargo & Warehousing Co., Inc. (Paircargo).
All backlog cargoes that arrived in May are already “accounted for with some releases that are pending,” Paircargo told PortCalls in a text message. The company is also working on the June backlog but noted that releases have improved.
From June 22 to July 19, Paircargo received almost 11 million kilograms (kg) of air shipments, and released almost 10.3 million kg during the same period.
Paircargo said the goal is to release more cargo than what it receives daily to finally eliminate all backlog.
BOC-NAIA district collector Maria Yasmin Mapa, in a separate phone interview with PortCalls, said the situation is now under control and the target is to eliminate all backlog by the end of July and take advantage of lower cargoes during what’s considered in business as the slow ‘ghost month’ of August to normalize the flow of releases before volume starts to pick up again during the peak ‘ber’ months.
READ: BOC-NAIA extends work hours to address shipment delays at Paircargo
The improvement comes as Paircargo added three temporary staging areas approximately two weeks ago, and has been using the parking slots at the Duty Free area as a processing site.
Paircargo has also contracted the warehouse at the Duty Free area, which was approved by BOC for import cargo storage and releasing activities. Paircargo said it is just waiting for clearance to finally utilize the warehouse, which will provide more space to process cargoes.
Paircargo is also hoping to finally start construction of a new cargo terminal beside NAIA Terminal 3, a project that it won the bidding for in 2013 but awarding of which has been delayed since. Following mediation, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and Paircargo executed a compromise agreement for the project’s implementation, which the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasay City judicially approved. Paircargo recently moved for the issuance of a writ of execution from RTC Pasay, which the court granted.
READ: After a decade of delays, Paircargo pushes to build new NAIA cargo terminal
Paricargo earlier said it “stands committed to build and complete the new NAIA cargo terminal at the soonest possible time” once MIAA provides “the cooperation it contractually and judicially committed to give.”
Aside from additional spaces, Paircargo continues to implement a 24-hour daily cargo releasing, while BOC-NAIA has deployed more personnel and extended its operating hours from 8 am–5 pm, Monday to Friday, to 7 am–9 pm daily including weekends.
Paircargo also hopes more clients will take advantage of weekends to release their cargoes. To encourage weekend releases, Paircargo is providing a one-day free storage for Saturday releases and two-day free storage for Sunday releases.
BOC-NAIA and Paircargo also continue to closely coordinate with stakeholders, creating a Viber group to provide updates.
READ: SEIPI coordinating with gov’t, Paircargo to speed up release of critical shipments
The congestion at Paircargo’s facility traces back to the collapse in warehouse capacity following the closure of Philippine Skylanders International’s (PSI) facility after NAIA operator New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) reclaimed its premises for redevelopment following its 2024 takeover of the airport. With PSI gone — and Miascor having been shuttered since 2018 — Paircargo and Cargohaus are now the only customs bonded warehouses serving multiple carriers at NAIA. Paircargo, which handles roughly 70% of NAIA’s air cargo by virtue of its direct ramp access, has borne the brunt of the resulting volume surge.
READ: Manila’s Cargo Crisis (Part 1): When Sea and Air Feel the Squeeze
Manila’s Cargo Crisis (Part 2): Capacity Crunch at the Airport
Manila’s Cargo Crisis (Part 3): What Needs to Happen
BOC recently said it formed a dedicated technical working group and task force to tackle the cargo congestion that has been gripping Manila’s major seaports and NAIA.— Roumina Pablo
