Gwen's second visit to Chinese region ushers in possible projects for Cebu

CEBU, Philippines – The government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is open to the possibility of bringing students in Cebu to China as exchange scholars, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia said the idea of a scholarship was hatched during her recent visit to the region wherein she mentioned that Cebu is strong in the field of education being the education capital in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Garcia said Gov. Ma. Biao of the Guangxi Zhuang had expressed willingness to open scholarships that would allow students here to study in a university in Guangxi Zhuang. Biao will reportedly send a delegation here composed of representatives from the academe to study the proposal further.

Aside from an educational exchange program, Guangxi Zhuang would also send another delegation that would study the possible expansion of the international port. Garcia said she is very keen on pursuing the project because it is her dream to have a world class port that could accommodate up to three million tons of cargo. 

"So I would say that was a trip, even though it was very hectic, really worth taking as the further strengthen of ties with Guangxi Zhuang," Garcia said.

Cebu Port Authority General Manager Vicente Suazo Jr. himself acknowledged the limitations of the current Cebu International Port, as he disclosed plans of transferring the port to Mandaue City.

The port's current location will reportedly be converted into commercial and business establishments and other tourism sites in order to compliment the development of the South Road Properties.

"Limited ra gyud ang mga barko nga mudunggo sa atong pantalan kay gamay ra man gud," Suazo said, adding CIP is only about 14 hectares including the domestic ports.

Suazo said that the current site of CIP could no longer be expanded as it will constrict the harbor.

The new international port, if the plan materializes, will be located near the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, which according to Suazo, would be very convenient for cargoes especially those coming from the north. It will occupy an area of about 50 hectares, which would be big enough to accommodate huge vessels.

He said that currently the CIP has a depth of only 35 meters and in order to accommodate bigger vessels, it has to have a depth of at least 150 meters.

Suazo emphasized, however, that the CPA board, which is chaired by the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications, will have the last say.

Garcia's recent visit to Guangxi Zhuang for the China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business Summit was the second trip she made to the region this year.

The first visit allowed Cebu and Guangxi Zhuang to enter into a sisterhood agreement and a memorandum of understanding for direct flights from Nanning and Guilin to Cebu.

Garcia said her recent visit strengthened the existing ties between the two LGUs. The governor attended the expo and business summit with the Department of Trade and Industry represented by Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr.

Garcia said the Philippine delegation received generous treatment from Guangxi Zhuang officials. Biao himself reportedly expressed his gratitude for Garcia's second visit. (FREEMAN)