Negros governor favors realigning of P716M fund

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said he favored the idea that P716-million fund for the modernization of Banago port in this city will be spent instead for the construction of a new port in the 3rd District, either in E. B. Magalona town or in Victorias City.

“It’s both practical and advantageous to Negros,” Marañon said, although he added that an in-depth study should be done first to iron out any technical problems before the final decision.

Representative Anthony Golez (Bacolod City) announced last February that he facilitated for the allocation of the P716-million fund of the Philippine Ports Authority for the development of the public port in Banago into the first modern public port in the city.

Representative Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez (3rd dist., Negros Occidental) however opposed the Golez plan, saying Bacolod already has a modern port, operated by the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (BREDCO).

BREDCO’s owner is lawyer Simplico Palanca, a grandfather of Benitez, but the congressman said his objection to the Golez plan was never a question of who owns the BREDCO port, but an issue of the propriety of the use of public funds.

Benitez considered it an improper use of PPA funds to invest in a government project that would compete with a private entity. “One question is, do we really need two ports in one city? Another question is, do we use government resources to compete with the private sector?” he said.

Instead of spending the P716 million for a new port in Banago, Benitez suggested that the money be used in building a port in the 3rd District where there are three sugar milling companies.

Marañon said both Golez and Benitez had valid points, but he agreed with the congressman of the 3rd district that a government agency should not use its resources to compete with the same business of a private company.

The governor also said that a port in the 3rd District would be advantageous to those from northern Negros, especially the sugar mills that in turn can cut travel time and save costs in transporting their cargo to Bacolod.

Marañon further cited the bulk of ship passengers from Negros bound for Manila. “Since the tip of northern Negros is closer to Manila by 53 nautical miles, having a port anywhere in northern Negros would cut the travel time to Manila by at least two hours,” he said.

A new port in either E. B. Magalona or Victorias City would be more competitive to BREDCO, than a Banago port would, because it can offer lesser travel time from those in northern Negros. “If there is competition there is improvement of services, which cannot be provided under a monopoly,” Marañon added.

Golez, for his part, insisted the Banago port modernization project will push through, as the plan is just awaiting implementation with the expected completion in 2013.

He said the PPA and the DENR will soon sign a memorandum of agreement on the issue of jurisdiction of the Banago port.

He in turn offered to help Benitez in coming up with development plans to establish a public port in the 3rd District, as long as the latter does not block the port project intended for Bacolod. – THE FREEMAN