Weakest link

Unless no less than the President herself gets into the picture, her legacy of linking the islands to bring more progress to the countryside via the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) will fall apart.

Sources from the grapevine reveal that Governor Carlito Marquez of Aklan has been making it impossible lately for shipping companies to call at the lone port in his province which is situated in Caticlan better known as the SRNH gateway to the Visayas from Luzon. Caticlan is also the jump-off point to Boracay.

Since President Arroyo announced the turning over the port to the local government unit from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) last year, the governor reportedly immediately imposed exhorbitant berthing/docking fees at the port which shipping operators have been crying foul about. Aside from this, it is said that he has ordered that ships calling at the port only have an hour each to unload/disembark and load/embark cargo and passengers alike.

This is possible if we are dealing with rickety bancas which ferry passengers from Caticlan to Boracay. But not ro-ro ships.

Instead of encouraging business to some to his province, insiders believe that Gov. Marquez is doing the exact opposite and driving opportunities away.  Shipping companies have reportedly threatened to pull out of the route unless something is done soon.

Our sources say that the governor has also gone to the extent of posting announcements at the port that shipping companies are no longer allowed to berth/dock at the Caticlan port on so and so date since they haven’t paid the fees he has imposed.

These fees include P1,000/per hour at the port and an additional P1,000 charge in excess of the allotted one hour. This is a far cry from the charges levied by the PPA in all ports which is only on an average P200 per calendar day (as mandated by law).

Gov. Marquez has allegedly even threatened to shut down the port unless shipping companies pay-up. He has sent demand letters (and only that) to all shipping companies of their supposed arrears since 2005. When asked for tabulated documents to show how they came up with such figures, the Office of the Governor can’t even produce a single document, the same sources reveal.

It seems the governor thinks Caticlan is the reason for the SRNH’s being and not the other way around.

Something has got to be done immediately by Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, by TranportationSecretary Leandro Mendoza, by PPA general manager Oscar Sevilla, and by Marina administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. to ensure the unimpeded and smooth flow of shipping operations in Caticlan lest they want a complete stoppage of the SRNH.

Unless something is done immediately, this weakest link of the SRNH might just snap.    

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