Miracle worker

I have never really thought highly of the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo until she decided to name Ding Panganiban as the new secretary of agriculture.

Ding, former undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture under then Secretary Salvador Escudero and NFA chief under then secretary Ed Angara, does not think like a bureaucrat. He thinks more like a farmer, which is probably the reason why his ideas work. His expertise in the field has been acknowledged and tapped by many countries in the region which have become net exporters of rice and corn.

According to Ding, who will assume office on July 15, he intends to continue with the programs of his predecessor Arthur Yap. In fact, he says he does not intend to bring his own people with him but instead plans to work with the existing workforce of the DA, which I believe is a good thing. After all, he has worked with most of the DA people before, including NFA’s Jiggs Tan, another valuable asset of the department.

Ding, a graduate of UP Los Banos, basically has received two instructions from the President: first, to identify two million hectares of idle lands and make them productive; and second, help the farmers bring their produce to the market. Sounds easy, but it ain’t.

This tough feat, he believes, requires a close coordination between the DA, the provincial governments, and the other local government units. Making two million hectares of idle land productive and devoting them to high-value crops such as cassava and choosing which crop is best suited depending on climatic conditions in a given area entails a lot of hard work. But Ding is confident that with the help of the LGUs and the various organizations in the agriculture sector, the government can work wonders.

We sincerely wish Secretary Ding the best. After all, as I told him, this is a much-delayed but most-deserved appointment. His success, after all, is our country’s success.

Gothong’s saga

It seems that tipping the scales of justice the "old fashioned way" has a way of backfiring. . . .at the most inappropriate time, as officials of Gothong Lines learned all too well very recently.

It will be recalled that Gothong Lines is at loggerheads with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Lorenzo Shipping over the matter of congestion in Manila North Harbor’s Pier 10 where both shipping companies operate.

Going against Gothong Lines on the issue is its insistence on calling at Pier 10 which is a purely cargo terminal (not to mention congested) therefore unsafe for passengers.

Company insiders claim that top man Benjamin Gothong insists that it is good feng shui that they continue docking at Pier 10 despite the availability of better berthing facilities in North Harbor’s Pier 14, Marine Slipway (MSW) or even at nearby Pier 6 which is sparsely used.

When the PPA tried to put semblance and order to the situation by repeatedly offering the available piers, Gothong Lines went to court to restrain PPA and maintain the status quo. They also thought they did their "homework of influence" with Judge Antonio de Castro of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 03 who issued the PPA two temporary restraining orders and later an Injunction.

However, much to the chagrin and dismay of Gothong Lines, Judge de Castro decided to do the unconventional and scheduled an ocular inspection of Manila North Harbor’s Pier 10 and Pier 14 last June 16.

First stop was the highly contested Pier 10. Among those who accompanied Judge de Castro were two Gothong representatives, one from Lorenzo Shipping and the PPA’s North Harbor Port Manager, Alex Cruz. The mere sight of the hustle and bustle of activity in the area with heavy lift equipment carrying containers upon containers of cargo on and off the vessels of Lorenzo Shipping immediately had a telling effect on the good judge. Definitely, this was no place for passengers. . . more so when he went inside the chicken coop of a passenger terminal which Gothong had set up. Judge de Castro could only then imagine packing in around 300 people in an area not even big enough for 100, not to forget to mention the intense heat inside.

Immediately, the good judge requested to be brought to Pier 14. Without missing a beat, the two Gothong representatives reminded Judge de Castro of their concern on the "peace and order" situation in that pier.

However, Pier 14 was a sight to behold! Unused berths were for the taking of any shipping line who wished to call in this particular pier. A large and very airy passenger terminal which could accommodate easily 1,000 passengers was sitting idly. The situation in Pier 14 was a very, very far cry from that of Pier 10. . . .and all these was for the taking of Gothong Lines, exclusively!

Judge de Castro then asked Port Manager Alex Cruz about the concern of the Gothong representatives on "peace and order". Cruz then brought the party to the gate of Pier 14 and pointed to the outpost and barracks of the PNP Maritime Command which was immediately infront of the pier. Cruz informed the judge that contrary to the "concern" of the Gothong representatives, Pier 14 might even be considered the most secure area in North Harbor.

Now that Judge de Castro has seen for himself the real situation, Gothong Lines passengers can only hope that the management of the shipping company does the right thing for them and once and for all move to Pier 14. . . .unless they prefer the moving to be done by them!

For comments, e-mail at [email protected]