The Department of Agriculture (DA) has endorsed Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) as a discharge port for containers of imported livestock and raw materials  due to its world-class quality of service and strategic location.

The terminal "ensures unimpeded trade for the livestock and feed milling industries", according to the endorsement, signed by DA Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs Ernesto Gonzales.

Importers are encouraged to use the Subic container port to help make feeds more readily available and affordable to farmers.

This should potentially lower market prices of meat products in the greater Manila area and nearby provinces.

"Industry players should tap services which are competitive and will provide access where Filipino consumers demand products,” according to the DA endorsement letter.

The DA is aware of delays in transporting cargo to Luzon during peak seasons, high-traffic months, and unpredictable weather.  

SBITC’s strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and efficient brand of service are what the industry needs to ensure supply delivery continuity.

In the case of animal feed importation, container ports like SBITC offer faster and more reliable operation as containerization eliminates weather-related delays that affect the handling of breakbulk cargo.  

This gives agribusiness decision-makers added flexibility in balancing cost versus efficiency.  

For its part, SBITC makes transactions more seamless and beneficial for industry end users to help reduce livestock production costs and ease the burden on consumers.

“SBITC is a strategic hub connecting the greater Manila and Central Luzon, the center of the country’s agriculture trade," Roberto Locsin, SBITC general manager, pointed out.

"Compared to other ports, we offer lower port fees and up to 10 days of free storage for our partners," he explained.  

"This helps businesses and suppliers arrange for transport and delivery to their intended destination without the burden of extra cost, making us the ideal port of choice."

Travel-wise, the Port of Subic is well-connected to Manila and new infrastructure projects in the pipeline are  improving mobility. 

In addition, trucks move   freely to and from Subic to facilities north of Metro Manila, contributing to faster movement of goods and supplies during critical months.

SBITC’s strategic location and connectivity to Central Luzon and the greater Manila area offer the livestock and feed milling industries more flexibility and efficiency.

SBITC is a subsidiary of the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).

In 2007, under the Subic Port Development Project, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) awarded SBITC  the concession for the New Container Terminal (NCT) 1, which started commercial operations in 2008. 

In 2011, under the Subic Port Project’s second phase, SBMA awarded ICTSI Subic, Inc. the concession to operate NCT 2. 

Increasing volumes at the Subic Bay Freeport enabled ICTSI to streamline and interface the operations of NCT 1 and 2.  The merged operations are ready to serve an improving local economy in Central and Northern Luzon regions, alongside with its continued support to facilitate the box market of Metro Manila.