Cost Of Shipping A Container To Philippines

According to ASEAN Briefing, businesses importing into the Philippines must provide the following documents when their goods arrive:

• Packing list
• Commercial Invoice, Letter of Credit, or any other verifiable commercial document evidencing payment
• Duly endorsed Bill of Lading or Airway Bill or certification by the carrier or agent of the vessel or aircraft
• Import Permit
• Customs Import Declaration
• Certificate of Origin
• Duly notarized Supplemental Declaration on Valuation (SDV)
• Authority to Release Imported Goods (ATRIG)
• Proof of Origin for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
• Load Port Survey Reports or Discharge Port
• Importers bringing in animals, plants, foodstuff, medicine, or chemicals must obtain a Certificate of Product Registration from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

For queries related to import requirements, please contact:

Atty. Luis M. Catibayan

Director-in-Charge

Bureau of Import Services

Department of Trade and Industry

Address: 3F Tara Bldg., 389 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Philippines

Tel: (632) 8896-4430

Fax: (632) 8896-4431

Email: [email protected] ph; [email protected]; [email protected]

The Bill of Lading is a document executed by a carrier, such as a railroad or shipping line, acknowledging receipt of goods and embodying an agreement to transport the goods to a stated destination. Such a negotiable document of title, which calls for the delivery of goods, must be distinguished from negotiable commercial paper such as notes and bills of exchange, which call for the money.

Philippine law restricts the importation of certain goods for national security, environmental and public health protection, and order and morality, in addition to complying with international treaties and obligations. Prohibited goods include:

• Used clothing and rags
• Toy guns
• Right-hand drive vehicles
• Hazardous waste, even in transit into Philippine territory
• Laundry and industrial detergents containing complex surfactants
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
• Used motorcycle parts, except engine
• Live piranha, shrimp, and prawns.

To view the essential details about the prohibited and restricted items in the Philippines, please visit this website.

For a comprehensive list of import commodities and details of regulating agencies, visit the DTI website.

Before delivering a container to the Philippines, you must consider a few factors. You have to know in advance some critical information about the following:

• Delivery fees
• Permitting requirements
• Ground conditions
• Clearance space
• 20-ft containers require a straight clearance of 75 feet, while 40-ft containers need a hundred. For its respective width, you will need a minimum of 12 feet of width clearance and 20 feet of overhead clearance.

It’s essential to learn to distinguish between taxes and duties because they often get interchanged.

• Duties. Customs duty is a kind of tax gathered by customs as government revenue and to protect local industries. This includes anti-dumping taxes, trade tariffs, export duties, and excise duties.
• Taxes. Taxes are government fees placed on purchased products entering a country. This includes value-added tax, sales tax, and goods and services tax (GST).

The Philippines follows the United Nation’s Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). Import tariffs can range from 0 to 65 percent. Imported goods in sectors that have high domestic production typically incur higher taxes. For non-agricultural goods, tariffs average at 6.7 percent.

The Philippines Tariff Commission has launched a ‘tariff finder’ web portal to help importers, which can be accessed here.

The Philippines Customs apply a value-added tax (VAT) for imported goods at 12 percent. The Philippines’ customs levy no tariff or tax for goods worth less than ₱10,000 (US$200).

All imported articles to the Philippines must undergo customs clearance within 30 days after unloading the last package. It would be best if you were ready with the list of required documents to avoid any delays in customs releasing. Take note of special certificates, permits, and clearance for certain commodities like medicine, chemicals, food, plants, and animals.

To avoid any inconveniences, please ensure that you have the required documentation with you.

The customer wouldn’t obtain a new copy unless the original document was found. You will be required to submit several requirements to receive another copy, such as a letter from the shipper, count order, letter of indemnity, bank guarantee, a commercial invoice, and a packing list.

Yes, your presence is required when the container is delivered because your signature must legalize specific documents. You also have to supervise the moving team when the container arrives to check if the goods are damaged.