SUBIC BAY

SBMA further reduces port tariff, road-users’ fees; continues e-bus full fare subsidy in Subic Freeport
Apr 29, 2026

Subic Bay Freeport – To ease the burden on Freeport companies and stakeholders as they cope with the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) further reduced port tariff rates, temporarily suspended the collection of Environmental and Tourism Administrative Fees (ETAF), and maintained the full fare subsidy for e-buses here. 
 
SBMA Board Resolution No. 26-04-1768, which was approved and ratified during the 79th Meeting of the Board of Directors on April 21, 2026, at the Corporate Boardroom of the Administration Building, further reduces port tariff rates in support of Executive Order No. 110. 
 
Executive Order No. 110, signed in March 2026, declares a State of National Energy Emergency due to Middle East conflicts and adopts the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Program. This whole-of-government approach aims to stabilize energy supply, control prices, and support vulnerable sectors through financial aid.
 
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño explained that the said resolution states that the SBMA will further reduce port tariff rates by 30%, on top of the 5% reduction provided by B.R. No. 26-04-1766, for a total reduction of 35%. This includes Charges on Vessels, Harbor Fee, Berthing Fee/ Anchorage Fee, Harbor Cleaning Fee, Charges on Cargoes, and Wharfage Fees. 

Aliño also announced that the SBMA will implement the reduction in transport costs and the continuation of the e-bus full fare subsidy, citing that these will be immediate and transparent as part of the agency’s relief measures to address the effects of the emergency energy crisis. 
 
He added that these include reducing the Road-User’s Fee by 50%, deferring the implementation of its programmed increase, and also continuing the implementation of free e-bus transport services for the Freeport community and visitors.
 
Meanwhile, ETAF collection has also been suspended pending the lifting of EO110, which placed the entire country under a State of National Energy Emergency.  Chairman Aliño clarified that these measures are temporary interventions that will be terminated upon recommendation by the SBMA when geopolitical tensions ease and supply chain conditions normalize.

“The SBMA’s move to reduce port tariff rates and continue the full fare subsidy for e-buses is in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s thrust to ensure stability in the country during this State of National Energy Emergency in the Philippines due to global oil supply disruptions and rising prices,” Aliño further said.
 
These strategic measures shall apply to all stakeholders and industry participants whose operations are affected by the prevailing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The implementation of these interventions was designed to generate a beneficial cascading effect
throughout the maritime supply chain.
 
These include primary beneficiaries such as importers, suppliers, consignees, vessel owners, and end-consumers, as well as operational intermediaries such as terminal operators, cargo handlers, customs brokers, consolidators, processors, shipping agents, and shipping lines.

“These interventions are strategically implemented to ensure that economic relief and enhanced efficiencies are achieved throughout the entire supply chain, thereby securing the uninterrupted flow of goods from initial port arrival to final destination,” he said.

News 2026