The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has released its schedule of operations at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) and Port of Manila for the coming holidays.
In an advisory, BOC said its offices will be closed on April 3 (Good Friday) and April 5 (Easter Sunday). However, on April 2 (Maundy Thursday), April 4 (Black Saturday), and April
9 (Araw ng Kagitingan), the customs agency will be operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On April 6, a regular working day, it will be open for business from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MICT will suspend operations on April 3.
Asian Terminals Inc will also suspend operations in Manila South Harbor from 7am of April 3 to 7am of April 4.
To facilitate continuous export cargo receipt for laden and empty containers, the port operator said they will also suspend implementation of the Loading Closing Time (LCT) from 7am of April 4 to 7am of April 5.
In an advisory, ATI noted that any vessel arriving during the work stoppage dates will be accommodated at the berths. Pilotage and lineman services will be made available to arriving and departing vessels.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said pull-outs of cargoes that have been cleared by the BOC will continue and passenger operations will remain running during the Holy Week.
As for off-dock container yards, Carl Fontanilla, president of the Container Depot Alliance of the Philippines, said member-depots will stops operations at midnight of April 2 and resume work on the morning of Black Saturday. – Roumina Pablo
