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People’s Air Cargo & Warehousing Co., Inc. released a total of 4.971 million kilograms of cargo from May to July 27, 2026 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport
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Of the total, 19,099 kg were released in May, 644,467.85 kg in June, and bulk or 4.308 million kg were released from July 1-27, showing improvement
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Pending cargoes were still at 2.954 million kg
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Paircargo has commissioned an additional space at the Duty Free area capable of handling about 24.24 million kilograms monthly to meet rising airfreight demand
People’s Air Cargo & Warehousing Co., Inc. (Paircargo) has released a total of 4.971 million kilograms (kg) of cargo from May to July 27, 2026 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Of the total, 19,099 kg were released in May, 644,467.85 kg in June, and bulk or 4.308 million kg were released from July 1-27, showing improvement this month, according to data provided by Paircargo during a meeting with stakeholders and the Bureau of Customs-NAIA (BOC-NAIA) on July 28.
Pending cargoes, meanwhile, were still at 2.954 million kg as of July 27.
Paircargo in an earlier statement said it has cut the number of unit load devices (ULDs) temporarily stored in remote staging areas during last month’s congestion from roughly 755 ULDs to just 40 ULDs as of July 21, achieved through sustained cargo release and better warehouse management.
Paircargo said this is “an indication that a significant volume of backlogged cargo has already been cleared.”
Company officials earlier told PortCalls that all backlog cargoes that arrived in May have already been “accounted for, with some releases still pending.”
The company added that work continues on the June backlog, but overall releases have accelerated.
READ: Cargo releasing at NAIA improves; backlog set for clearance by end-July
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.
Prior to the peak of the congestion, Paircargo said it consistently achieved near-complete cargo movement within its main facility, recording 99% cargo movement from receiving to release in May 2026, and 96% in June 2026.
During the first quarter of 2026, Paircargo achieved an average cargo release rate of 99%. Following the closure of the PSI facility and the resulting influx of shipments, the average cargo release rate during the second quarter adjusted to 81%, “underscoring the operational challenges brought about by the redistribution of cargo across NAIA.”
Even amid these conditions, Paircargo said it continues to release an average of 400 metric tonnes (400,000 kg) of air cargo every day, “ensuring that thousands of import and export shipments continue to move through the country’s busiest international gateway.”
Paircargo said together with BOC-NAIA, they have immediately established remedial measures such as 24-hour releasing, including weekends, and the acquisition of additional land and warehouse facilities that resulted in increased capacity.
Paircargo also added three temporary staging areas approximately in July and has been using the parking slots at the Duty Free area as a processing site.
Paircargo also commissioned a satellite warehouse approximately the same size as the former NAIA International Cargo Terminal, significantly increasing its cargo handling and storage capacity.
The facility is capable of accommodating an estimated 24.24 million kg of cargo per month, providing much-needed relief to its existing warehouses and accelerating cargo movement.
Paircargo said it also continues to work closely with airport authorities, airline partners, freight forwarders, logistics providers, and other stakeholders to further streamline cargo handling procedures and identify additional measures that will improve cargo flow across the entire NAIA logistics ecosystem.
While cargo volumes remain elevated, Paircargo said it is confident that the additional warehouse capacity, combined with ongoing operational improvements, will continue to accelerate cargo releases and further reduce congestion in the coming weeks.
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
In a separate interview earlier with PortCalls, BOC-NAIA District Collector Maria Yasmin Mapa confirmed that the situation is under control and that the target is to clear all backlog by the end of July, taking advantage of the traditionally slower “ghost month” of August to normalize release flows before volumes rise again during the peak “ber” months.
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
