Manila: Over 700 shipping containers of rice remain unclaimed at ports under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) despite already being cleared by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in addition to having no port congestion. In a statement Thursday, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said these 700 containers of rice are just waiting for their consignee at ports and may be causing an artificial increase in the price of rice. He reminded cargo owners, consignees, brokers, manufacturers, and other supply chain service providers to claim cleared, ready-for-delivery, and overstaying cargoes at ports, especially at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT). 'Our focus remains on supporting a stable supply chain for crucial commodities, and we are dedicated to resolving any issues that arise in this regard. We appreciate the continued cooperation and support from our private operators, as we strive to improve service delivery and better meet the needs of the public,' Santiago said. He said rice shipments are par ticularly important, with the PPA working to ensure that there are no delays in the processing of these goods. Earlier, Santiago said there is currently no congestion at all PPA ports with an average yard utilization rate of 70 percent. He said the average dwell time for containers is 5.4 days, the lowest in history, and is only 0.4 days beyond the free storage period provided by the PPA. Source: Philippines News agency