Talisay Council gives go signal to fish, RORO ports

CEBU, Philippines – Talisay City Council yesterday authorized Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to enter into a contract of lease with a private shipping company for the establishment of a fish port and Roll-on, Roll-off port in the city.

Under the contract, Asian Marine Transport Corp. will lease about 24,846 square meters of lot near the South Road Properties in Barangay San Roque for 50 years. The firm was represented by its president and chief executive officer Paul Rodriguez.

City Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, said there were several prospective investors interested in leasing the property to use it as a wharf and docking facility.

But Alesna said Asian Marine Transport Corp. edged out the rest because of the latter’s proposals entailed operations that were “still speculative.”

"It is to the advantage of the city if Asia Marine Transport Corp. will be preferred among the other prospective investors to lease the said property as compared to the other investors whose operation is still speculative," Alesna said.

The resolution of Alesna was also supported by all members of the council except for City Councilor Eduardo "Digul" Gullas III who was absent.

According to Rodriguez, their company is a domestic shipping corporation existing for more than 20 years. He said they own a fleet of container, passenger and RORO vessels and are considered one the country’s biggest shipping lines operating a container service in almost all of the big ports in the country.

"Its business is already existing having efficient track record in container shipping and RORO yard operations which will not only guarantee that it can comply with its rental obligations but more significantly, its business will have a huge multiplier effect in terms of the economic impact and benefit including taxes," Alesna said in his resolution presented during the council session.

Rodriguez said they will invest in the development, extension and completion of the RORO port in the area as they will make it as a major gateway to Cebu.

Rodriguez added that they will utilize the RORO port as a major logistic hub from Manila and Batangas to the entire Visayas and Mindanao, linking Talisay City directly to major destinations such as Manila, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos, Zamboanga, Bacolod, Iloilo and Masbate.

Under Section 22 of the Local Government Code, it is within the corporate power of the City of Talisay to initiate projects under the city’s proprietary function.

Section 458 of the same code says that the Sangguniang Panlungsod is authorized to approve the lease, development, and grant franchise to any of the facilities and utilities of the city, including wharves.

The Talisay City Fish Port and the Talisay City Port were both funded by the national government with the Cebu Port Authority, the Philippine Ports Authority and the Department of Public Works and Highways as implementing agencies.

Only the fish port was turned over to Talisay City so far.

Then congressman Eduardo Gullas helped lobby for the projects’ funding worth P136.4 million.