‘Port corruption deeply rooted’

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A root cause of the chronic congestion crippling the port of Manila is rampant, ingrained corruption that has undermined it for decades, a Philippine senate hearing heard yesterday. According to Christian Gonzalez, Asia chief of the port’s major operator, ICTSI, “everyone’s guilty”. Other witnesses reported that “illegal transactions occur at every turn, from the time a truck is loaded with container until it goes out of port and along roads and streets”. And the problem is further compounded by truckers trying to return empty containers to a port where vessel waiting times are nearing two weeks.