• PISFA Story
• Objectives of PISFA
• Code of conduct and ethical standards for freight forwarders
• Advantages and Benefits of PISFA Members

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PISFA Story

It was on March 30, 1984, when about 15 freight forwarding companies, presided by Mr. Dante Castor of OCS Philippines Inc., gathered to formalize the setting up of an association of freight forwarders engaged in international trade.  Mr. Al Villaverde, who was then a special guest, revealed that the Phil. Shippers’ Council had been looking forward to have such an organization to serve as a forum for the government and the private sector in threshing out problems that  hinder the development of the freight forwarding industry which is an integral part in the promotion of the country’s international trade.

          Thus an association was born and it was agreed to be named ”PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL SEAFREIGHT FORWARDERS ASSOCIATION INC. (PISFA)”. The Charter Members were as follows:

Mr. Rafael Rebullida of Alphatrans, Inc.
Mr. Antonio Carillo of Aquila Maritime Business, Inc.
Mr. Romeo of Sto.Tomas Circle Freight Int'l.,Phils.,Inc.
Mr. Ben Buluran of Crown Pacific Moving Co. Phils.
Mr. Patrick Chen of CPI Transport, Inc.
Mr. Astrophel of Tejada Delgado Bros.,Inc.
Mr. Jorge R. Defensor, Jr. of Dero Brokerage Corp.
Mr. Ike Deres for Four Winds Phils.,Inc.
Mr. Miguel Aguado for Meadowsfreight Phils.,Inc.
Mr. Bernardo David for Maritime Factors, Inc.
Mr. Henry L. Tsai for OCS Philippines, Inc.
Mr. Eddie P. Linsangan forPalaris Cargo Handlers, Inc.
Mr. Virgilio Veneracion for Royal Cargo Corporation
Mr. Julio G. Roxas, Jr. for Unsworth Transport Int'l. Phils.,Inc.
Mr. Manuel Longalong for Eastwest Freight Phils.,Inc.

          Elected to the first Board of Directors were:  Mr. Henry L. Tsai (chosen first Chairman of the Board and President) Mr. Miguel Aguado, Mr. Antonio Carillo, Mr. Romeo Sto. Tomas and Mr. Julio G. Roxas, Jr.  Mr. Tsai appointed Mr. Dante F. Castor as the Secretary General of the association.

          PISFA was officially born and formally issued its SEC Certificate of Registration on July 16, 1984, as a non-profit, non-stock corporation. The next few years showed the strain of early birth pains by a new organization but PISFA bravely struggled and weathered the problems besetting it. The association tried to obtain recognition by the Ministry of Transportation & Communications but it was rebuffed when that Ministry decided PISFA should go to the Trade Sector.

 A breakthrough was achieved when the Ministry of Trade & Industry through the representations by the Philippine Shippers’ Council, recognized PISFA as the national organization representing the seafreight forwarding industry in the Philippines. The Certificate of Recognition was signed by Undersecretary Raul A. Boncan, International Trade Group, Department of Trade and Industry on May 14, 1987.

          In view of the government’s recognition, the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific and the FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders) based in Zurich, Switzerland, both acknowledged PISFA as the National Association of Freight Forwarders representing the Philippines.

Mr. Henry Tsai, representing OCS Phils., Inc. was elected first chairman of the Board and President and appointed Dante F. Castor as Secretary General to handle the secretarial work of the association. In June 1994, the SEC registration was issued to PISFA as non-profit, non-stock corporation. And it was on August 27, 1984 when chartered Directors and officers headed by Mr. Henry Tsai were formally inducted into office.

After having been formally organized and duly registered with SEC, PISFA made representation with the Ministry of Transportation and Communication for official recognition in as much as its members are international freight forwarders that are considered part of the overall shipping industry. However, the DOCT endorsed the matter to the Ministry of trade and Industry contending the this Ministry of Trade and Industry, through the Philippine Shippers’ Council, then issued the Certification of Recognition to PISFA recognizing it as the national association representing the freight forwarding industry in the Philippines.

          In view of this recognition, PISFA was also considered by the United Nation Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific and the Federation of Industrial Freight Forwarders representing the Philippines.

In line with its successful certification by prestigious world organizations, PISFA has since then been fully cooperative and supportive of the projects of the Phil. Shippers’ Bureau. PISFA became an ordinary member of  FIATA representing the Philippines and also the AFFA (Asean Federation of Freight forwarders Association).  The  UN ESCAP also invited six of PISFA executives to train as trainors for Freight Forwarding Seminars and Multimodal Transport Seminars and the six became the backbone of the training faculty of the association.

Today, 23 years later and having 117 regular strong members  in its roster, PISFA have almost reached the pinnacle of success in  its efforts, being visible and active in every aspect of the industry.

            The Association worked hard and cooperated with other twelve industry groups comprising the Port Users Confederation which hold regular monthly dialogues with top customs officials on problems and matters related to customs and the transport industry. A cursory review of the activities of the association confirms its total involvement on the work to attain the professionalization of the Philippine freight forwarding industry.

          Since 1992, PISFA had conducted twenty-two (29) Basic Freight Forwarding Seminars and Twelve  (14) Advance (Multimodal Transport) Seminars. In addition, numerous half-day seminars on special topics had been held, like the E-Vat, the UCP-500, the U.S. Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, for company drivers,  and Sales/Marketing Seminars.

          PISFA was chosen by the Phil. Shippers’  Bureau since 1993 to sit in the Registration & Monitoring Committee and help in the screening of accreditation applicants. For the past several years, PISFA and the Phil. Shippers’ Bureau supported each other in holding the Philippine Freight Forwarders Convention (last held in 1999) to further the cause of the industry in this part of the world.

Thanks to the foresight of its second President, Eddie P. Linsanganand the 1991-1993 Board, the Association holds the distinction of owning  an office condominium, situated at the former Tradewinds Hotel, now known as South Star Plaza, South Super Highway, Makati City.

By the summer of 1997, the Through Transport Mutual Services (Asia Pacific), Ltd., formulated an affordable Liability Insurance program for members of the Association called the PISFA Scheme, largely through the efforts of the fourth President (Ramon T. de Leon) and the 1995-1997 Board. The year, 1997 through then

President, Lito E. Colona was able to convince the Through Transport Club officials to review and reduce the premium turnover bands of the PISFA Scheme, thus resulting in substantial reductions for the Co-Assureds.

          Since its birth in 1984, PISFA has had  nine Presidents; all of them very respected names in the community of freight forwarders: Henry Tsai from 1984 – 1991; Eddie P. Linsangan from 1991 – 1993; Julio G. Roxas, Jr. from 1993 – 1995; Ramon T. de Leon from 1995 – 1997. From 1997 the baton of leadership was turned over to the irrepressible and dynamic Lito E. Colona who was given another two-year mandate to continue his successful leadership. In 2001,  Bayani C. Coching took over as President and is no stranger to the workings of the Board, having been a Director during previous Boards and was the Executive Vice President from 1991-1993.  Mr. Coching vowed to promote the primary objectives of PISFA and work harder to uplift the already high prestige of the Association.  Today, a new President came to the fore, Mr. Monico E. David, Jr., was  elected in June, 2003 as the 7 th President. Mr. David was President of Aircargo Forwarders of the Phils.,Inc., from 1998 to 2000. His pet project is the establishment of an Institute of Logistics and Transportation which will soon be realized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business and its Center of Continuing Education. With Mr. David’s tireless efforts, industry workers may take up diploma course in Logistics and Transportation, leading to a masteral degree, and he ardently hopes to leave the new Institute as a legacy to future generations of freight forwarders. 

          Mr. David’s two-year term was aborted when he perfunctorily resigned as President three months later, having been assigned to develop and promote a new internet facility.  The 2003/2005 Board of Directors took the challenge to carry on the projects of Mr. David and elected Mr. Erich H. Lingad as the new PISFA head honcho.  Erich's Board of Directors  were relatively young with an average age of 35 years and with their youthful enthusiasm and dynamism, carried  on with the Leadership in Freight Forwarding as   PISFA celebrate s its 20 th anniversary in 2004.

       Mr. Rico Brizuela led the reigns of  PISFA  from 2005 TO 2007 and  futher enchanced the Association's presence with its own improved website. He also led various successful projects and steered PISFA to financial stability.

   The current President, Mr. Dexter Yu, and his Board are guided by the theme "Reaching Out To Raise The Bar For Greater UNITY And EXCELLENCE". By reaching out to one another within the Association and reaching out to the community at large, PISFA's goal is to achieve greater unity. And in unity, PISFA expects to aspire for greater excellence. Apart from working for the betterment of the Association, the Board also intends to reach out to the less fortunate in our society.