Some local trucking operators have temporarily halted operations due to soaring fuel costs, inefficient port operations, inadequate container yard space for returning empty containers, and an acute shortage of drivers.
Atty. Ferdinand “Don” Manebo, president of the Haulers and Truckers Association in the Watersouth Inc. (HATAW), told reporters Tuesday during the launch of Philippine Manufacturing Week — which will feature the Auto Parts and Vehicles Expo Philippines (APVE Expo 2026) and the Philippine Die and Mould Machineries and Equipment Exhibition (PDMEX 2026) on July 23–25 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila — that several members have suspended operations because business conditions have become unsustainable.
“Some have found it difficult to operate, not very effective, so some have been forced not to operate anymore,” Manebo said.
He attributed the stoppage primarily to high fuel prices, difficulties in returning empty containers, and the shortage of qualified drivers.
Fuel accounts for about 30 percent of trucking operating costs, according to Manebo. At the height of the fuel price surge, filling up a 22-wheeler truck cost as much as PHP40,000. He said one of the most effective ways to support the industry would be to ease the value-added tax and excise tax burden on trucking operators.
Manebo said HATAW’s internal survey showed a driver shortage of around 30 percent, meaning that for every 10 trucks, three remain idle due to lack of drivers.
Logistics drivers are considered highly skilled workers and are required to hold a driver’s license restriction Code 8 — now classified as CE — for articulated vehicles exceeding 3,500 kilograms gross vehicle weight.
Drivers are paid per round trip and can earn substantial income under ideal conditions. According to Manebo, drivers who complete five trips in a week can earn up to PHP50,000. However, due to port congestion and operational inefficiencies, most drivers can only complete a maximum of three trips weekly, reducing earnings to around PHP15,000.
Most of the time, he said, drivers remain idle at warehouses or parking their vehicles along side streets because they are unable to return empty containers to container yards near Manila ports.
These skilled drivers are also in high demand overseas, particularly in the Middle East and Europe, where monthly salaries can reach PHP230,000.
“Naturally, they grab every opportunity to leave for greener pasture,” Manebo said.
While truck availability is not a problem, Manebo noted that there are not enough drivers to haul loaded containers from the ports, indicating potential shortage of cargo haulers. HATAW’s 150 member-operators collectively own around 2,000 trucks.
“Our problem is the lack of drivers and if the inefficiency is solved, we can easily expand our fleet,” he said.
Manebo added that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is helping train the next generation of drivers, although it takes four years of driving experience before applicants can qualify for the required license from the Land Transportation Office.
Another factor contributing to the driver shortage is age. Very few among the younger generation are interested in becoming commercial vehicle drivers.
Overcrowding
Manebo said inefficiencies at the ports can largely be traced to the lack of adequate container yard space. He stopped short of describing the recurring situation at the Manila ports as a crisis, but acknowledged that insufficient space has resulted in container backlogs and overcrowding.
According to Manebo, maintaining container yards is primarily the responsibility of shipping lines, which usually comply through arrangements with third-party container yard operators.
Shipping lines own the containers and are therefore responsible for returning them, whether laden or empty. However, many empty containers remain stored in container yards because it is cheaper to keep them in the Philippines than to ship them back overseas.
With container yards already operating at limited capacity, truckers are unable to pull out laden containers because they cannot immediately return empty ones or are forced to wait long periods just to secure space. Some container yards are located as far as Bulacan, further adding to operational delays.
Manebo also attributed the growing volume of empty containers to the country’s trade imbalance, with imports significantly outpacing exports.
“I think now, for every 5 containers coming in, there’s only one going out that’s laden,” he said.
The remaining four empty containers either stay in container yards or remain mounted on truck chassis because storage facilities are already full.
Shipping lines are supposed to ship empty containers back overseas since freight charges for their movement have already been paid.
“But that’s not being done. They’re not being exported,” he said.
Manebo said shipping lines appear to have a financial incentive to keep empty containers in the Philippines instead of repositioning them elsewhere. It is cheaper to pay for the penalty for over dwelling containers at the yards than exporting them.
“So there’s definitely an incentive for them to keep the containers here,” he said.
Currently, empty containers are allowed a maximum dwell time of 90 days in Philippine container yards. Once they exceed that period, they are treated as imports and become subject to tax penalties.
To discourage excessive storage of empty containers, the Bureau of Customs is pushing to shorten the allowable dwell time to 60 days.
However, Manebo warned that imposing higher penalties for extended dwell times could simply result in additional costs being passed on to truckers.
The larger concern, he said, is that rising trucking costs would eventually be passed on to consumers, potentially worsening inflation.
Shipping lines
As a long-term solution, Manebo said shipping lines should be required to maintain their own container yards with enough capacity to accommodate their cargo volumes.
For example, he said, shipping lines handling 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per month should have sufficient yard space to manage that volume.
He estimated that around 5,000 TEUs arrive daily at the Port of Manila, requiring roughly the same number of trucks each day to haul the containers.
However, if containers remain in the yards for 30 days, as much as 150,000 TEUs could accumulate across Manila ports and surrounding container yards.
“There is not enough space for that high number of containers,” he said.
Compounding the issue, Manebo noted, is the absence of a law specifically regulating shipping lines. He added that there is also no government agency directly overseeing international shipping licenses.
“We need to enact a law in order to regulate the shipping lines or place the regulations, either with an existing agency, or create a new agency altogether,” he said.
