Exporters welcome E-TRACC exemption

The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) said it welcomed the exemption of exporters from the Bureau of Customs (BoC) Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo (E-TRACC) System.

In a social media post Wednesday, the group said Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno has said that the exemption covers exporters accredited as Authorized Economic Operators and registered with Investment Promotion Agencies.

The announcement was made during the Export Development Council Executive Committee meeting on April 1.

PHILEXPORT said the exemption eases the burden on exporters, who already face high fuel prices, supply chain disruptions, and increased compliance requirements.

“The exemption from ETRACC allows exporters to focus on fulfilling orders efficiently without the added layer of cost and administrative complexity that could hamper our delivery timelines,” PHILEXPORT President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said in a statement.

Launched in 2020 on the strength of a memorandum circular, E-TRACC is a web-based, real-time monitoring system that uses GPS (global positioning system)-enabled locks to track container movement from port to destination.

The system is designed to ensure that goods reach their intended destination. It features an alarm in case a cargo is diverted.

PHILEXPORT said it supports policies on transparency and trade facilitation, while ensuring that these avoid “unintended consequences on key economic drivers.”

Philippine exports rose 8% year-on-year in February to $7.33 billion, against the 12.8% expansion a year earlier. It was the weakest reading since the 5.5% expansion recorded in August. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz