The Department of Trade and Industry said on Saturday that the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 41, suspending pass-through fees for vehicles transporting goods, is a welcome development for manufacturers and transporters.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Kim Lokin said in a Quezon City news forum that the implementation of EO 41 will not only promote ease of doing business, but it will also help local businesses lower their transport costs and directly address the plight of consumers in terms of prices of goods.

“We are very grateful to the President, because President Marcos Jr. has at least acted on this. This has been a long-standing issue, not just from the truckers, but even the manufacturers, iyon pong mga local businesses,” Lokin said.

Lokin mentioned that the issues regarding pass-through fees has been going on since 2006, and it was only this year that it was finally addressed.

Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organization (ACTOO) vice president Rina Papa echoed the same sentiments as she emphasized that they are looking forward to becoming part of the technical working group that will craft the EO’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

Papa also hoped that roads leading to business centers and manufacturing sites would also be covered.

With the EO 41, goods transporters can save at least P30,000 per vehicle per year on logistics costs for Manila alone, where two major international ports and the largest domestic port are located, according to Papa.

President Marcos Jr. signed EO 41 on September 25, suspending the collection of ‘pass-through fees’ on national roads as well as collecting sticker fees, discharging fees, delivery fees, market fees, toll fees, entry fees, or Mayor’s Permit fees for all motor vehicles. PND