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Some customs brokers, port truckers, and alliance groups have moved their planned “Rest Day on the Ports” from September 28 to October 5, 2026
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The postponement gives importers and brokers time to finish pending transactions and release shipments before the voluntary action
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Move follows an earlier September 23 forum where truckers and brokers urged the industry to join a nationwide transport strike over worsening port congestion
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Organizers are asking members to notify foreign shipping line principals that a lack of container yard-depot space is driving empty container congestion
Customs brokers, port truckers, and alliance groups have rescheduled their planned “Rest Day on the Ports” from September 28 to October 5, 2026, giving importers and logistics stakeholders more time to complete pending transactions and release shipments before the voluntary work stoppage takes effect.
In an advisory issued by Reynaldo T. Soliman, co-convenor of Customs Brokers, Truckers and Alliance and chairperson of the Practicing Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCBAPI), organizers said the move to October 5 is meant to give the industry ample lead time to plan around the date, adjust operations, and make decisions on incoming shipments at Manila ports.
The group is urging all customs brokers, port truckers, and other affected sectors to mark October 5 on their calendars and to encourage importers to voluntarily join by instructing their brokers and truckers to observe what the group described as a “legit and legal call.” Organizers also asked members to notify the Philippine-based agents’ principals — the foreign shipping lines — that a lack of container yard-depot space in the Philippines has caused empty container congestion, which they say is hampering the smooth flow of trade.
Builds on earlier calls to strike
The rescheduled action follows a September 23 forum at Club Intramuros, where some port truckers, customs brokers, importers, and logistics companies urged the industry to join a nationwide transport strike originally set to begin September 28, citing worsening port congestion, delays in returning empty containers, and related concerns. That forum was led by Mary Zapata, president of the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines, and Soliman himself, representing PCBAPI.
At the September 23 forum, truckers said they sometimes wait up to two weeks before a depot will accept an empty container. Zapata said truckers are having a harder time now than during the COVID-19 pandemic, and described truckers as having become a “milking cow” for enforcers.
The original September 28 date had also coincided with a separate three-day nationwide transport strike planned by the Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon, a group of jeepney drivers and operators, running from September 28 to 30.
The Bureau of Customs has said it is targeting the signing of a Joint Administrative Order addressing port congestion within September.
