Officials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTOOfficials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTOOfficials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTOOfficials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTOOfficials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTOOfficials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTOOfficials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), led by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, show piles of containers of sacks of rice during an inspection tour inside the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Port Area Manila, on Sept. 19, 2024. The PPA said that there was no congestion at the ports in response to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel's statement that congestion was part of the reason why the price of rice remained high. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTO