MANILA - The Department of Information and Communications Technology on Tuesday said it would speed up the registration and accreditation and monitoring of app-based logistics companies.

The DICT on Tuesday said it met with representatives of private express and messengerial delivery services operators (PEMEDES) to discuss issues in the industry.

DICT Secretary Emmanuel Caintic said the Office of the Undersecretary for Digital Philippines will now directly control and supervise the Postal Regulation Division (PRD), which has been restructured into the ICT Infrastructure and Services Enabling Division.

The move is meant to remove “unnecessary steps in getting them to start, giving them permits”, Caintic said.

"Gusto nating tugunan iyong mga hinaing nitong new players lalo na at lumalaki iyong industriya ng delivery services," Caintic said.

(We want to address the complaints of new players, especially with the rapid growth of the delivery services industry.)

Among the firms which attended the DICT meeting were Angkas, Dingdong PH, Joyride, Toktok, Ninja Van, J&T Express PH, Lazada, Lalamove, YTO Express, Grab Philippines, Vriens, Metro Courier Inc., Airspeed Group of Companies, and Airfreight 2100.

Caintic noted that the demand for app-based couriers surged amid the rapid growth of e-commerce in the country. By 2024, the logistics market alone is set to reach over P1 trillion, he said.

The DICT chief said that by improving the ease of doing business of companies that are entering the industry, more jobs will be generated, and online sellers will also have more options.

More players are expected to enter the industry with the signing of the amended Public Service Act which allows foreigners to fully own companies in select industries.

- With a report from Jeffrey Hernaez, ABS-CBN News

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