City ordinance seen to help boat operators

CEBU, Philippines - A new ordinance approved by Mandaue City Council is seen as a breather for some of the city's fishing boat operators who are allegedly charged with excessive fees by private wharf owners whenever they dock to deliver aquatic products in the city.

During yesterday's council session, the City Council approved for final reading the draft ordinance authored by Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chairman of the committee on market and abattoir, which amends Section 35, Article 5 of the Revenue Code of the city.

Under Section 35, for every bañera of aquatic products docked under the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge near the City Fisheries Office, the city is going to collect P5 from a previous fee of P3.

Private wharf operators are reportedly charging the traders P50 per bañera.

In the same section, the council has also imposed a P300 standby fee or docking fee each time they load and unload their fish shipment or any aquatic products and another P300 will be collected as hauling fee for the transportation of the aquatic products.

Lumapas in a statement said he was compelled to come up with the ordinance as fishing boat operators coming from nearby islands who come to deliver their aquatic products in the city can no longer withstand with the exorbitant fees of P500 as docking fee and P500 as hauling fee imposed by some private wharfs in the city where they dock.

The approval of the said ordinance, Lumapas said, will now generate more income for the city since these fishing operators will opt to dock under the bridge near the City Fisheries Office considering that the fees are low as compared to the fees being imposed in private wharfs. — (FREEMAN)