SBMA authorizes SBITC to collect wharfage fees via online payment platforms

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has authorized port terminal operator Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), an ICTSI subsidiary, to collect wharfage fees on its behalf to streamline payments for port users.

The partnership aims to streamline the payment process through SBITC’s online payment platforms.

Aliño emphasized the benefits of the new system, stating, “This arrangement will minimize face-to-face interactions, eliminate the need for clients to travel to SBMA’s cashier, and reduce waiting times for fee processing. Ultimately, it simplifies doing business at the Port of Subic.”

He added, “The MOA strengthens our public-private collaboration, securing essential revenue to sustain port operations, infrastructure, and future investments. It also reinforces Subic Bay’s status as a top logistics hub.”

The collaboration, he said, will boost investor confidence as SBMA plays an active role in advancing plans for the Luzon Economic Corridor, which integrates Subic, Clark, Manila, and Batangas into a seamless trade gateway.

For his part, Dungca highlighted the operational impact, saying SBITC will collect wharfage fees on behalf of SBMA and ensure transparent and accountable remittances. “This partnership goes beyond payment collection; it enhances service speed, simplifies procedures, and improves the overall experience for all port users,” he said.

SBMA oversees the regulatory framework within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, while SBITC, a subsidiary of ICTSI, manages the New Container Terminals (NCT-1 and NCT-2). Last October, SBMA granted SBITC a 25-year concession extension, allowing it to operate the terminals through 2058.

The initiative aligns with SBMA’s adoption of a payment collection system similar to that implemented by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), under which port operators collect fees on behalf of the government.