Smuggling, congestion in the ports and Metro traffic

The Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), is hailed as a global model for port development and operation. But the road system linking it with other ports in Manila and beyond remains underdeveloped. As a result, heavy traffic involving container trucks and smaller cargo vehicles is a regular occurrence on the big roads of Metro Manila.

The Philippine government actually has an entity to initiate and manage port development in the entire archipelago. This is the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), an agency under the Department of Transportation and Communications. Should the PPA be solely blamed for the port congestion? The answer should be no, because the development of ports—and the roll out of shipments they receive—should be an integrated activity that involves the road planning of the metropolis, urban development, and even traffic management.