By HENRY EMPEÑO | April 29, 2026

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Wednesday, April 29, announced further reduction in port tariff rates and road user’s fee, among other relief measures to ease the impact of rising prices amid the energy crisis caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said the SBMA Board of Directors in a meeting on April 21, approved to further reduce port tariff rates by 30 percent, on top of the 5 percent cut announced two weeks ago.

The decrease in port tariff is expected to cascade down to all port users and stakeholders, further cutting costs in terms of harbor fees, berthing and anchorage fees, harbor cleaning fees, and cargo charges like wharfage and storage fees.

Aliño also said the SBMA Board voted to prune the road user’s fee by 50 percent and defer the programmed implementation of further increases, while continuing with the fully-subsidized operation of e-bus transport services for Subic workers, residents, and visitors.

The agency also temporarily suspended the collection of Environmental and Tourism Administrative Fees (ETAF) while Executive Order No. 110, which placed the country under a State of National Energy Emergency, is in effect.

“These interventions are strategically implemented to ensure that economic relief and enhanced efficiencies are achieved throughout the entire supply chain, thereby securing the uninterrupted flow of goods from initial port arrival to final destination,” the SBMA chief said in a statement Wednesday.

“The SBMA’s move to reduce port tariff rates and continue the full fare subsidy for e-buses is in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s thrust to ensure stability in the country during this State of National Energy Emergency,” he added.

Aliño stressed, however, that the relief measures were adopted in response to EO 110, which called for a whole-of-government approach to stabilize energy supply, control prices, and support vulnerable sectors through financial aid.

SBMA’s temporary interventions will be terminated by the agency once geopolitical tensions ease and supply chain conditions normalize, Aliño said.

The Subic agency initially announced on April 14 a five percent reduction in tariff and cargo charges, as well as the suspension of new port-related fee increases, to help stabilize costs for the transportation and food sectors.

Under the first round of port tariff cut, the SBMA also waived five percent of the agency shares in pilotage fee, tugboat services, line handling services, water tendering, bunkering services, hauling service, heavy equipment rental, chandling services, and cargo handling for containerized cargo.

At the same time, the SBMA granted additional two days of free storage for non-containerized cargo, thereby extending free storage for import cargoes from 10 days to 12 days; seven to nine days for export cargo; 10 to 12 days for transshipment; and two to four days for domestic cargo.

The SBMA also suspended the collection of SBMA share from terminal operators and cargo handlers for liquid bulk cargo handling; implementation of 1% admission fee for liquid bulk; and implementation of a 10% increase on cargo handling and miscellaneous charges for non-containerized cargoes.

SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Port Operations Ronnie Yambao said earlier that the tariff reduction and other relief measures would provide financial relief to port stakeholders to the tune of P76 million in a one-year period. ▲