Senatorial bets gather for ship inauguration

CEBU, Philippines — Senatorial bets gather in Cebu yesterday for the blessing and inauguration of Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc.’s newly acquired vessel, MV Filipinas Cagayan de Oro.

Present were Sen. Nancy Binay, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and former Philippine National Police chief and senatorial aspirant Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.

They congratulate Chester Cokaliong, the chief operating officer of CSLI, and his family for providing efficient and affordable mode of transportation for the Cebuanos and the rest of the Philippines.

They believe that sea transportation is one of the ways to solve land transportation traffic.

"It’s an ultimate service to the Filipino people. You (Cokaliong and family) are modern day heroes," Roque said emphasizing the importance of the shipping industry as sea transportation is still the most viable among Filipinos because “we live in an archipelago.”

Marcos said that this is another accomplishment of the Cokaliongs.

"Even if they (some people) are saying that the shipping industry is in the dive, they (Cokaliongs) are pursuing it and I congratulate them for providing safe travel. Sana marami pa ring mag invest sa shipping industry kasi hindi kaya ng gobyerno kulang na kulang. So, let us put more investment in inter-modal mode of transportation not just for roads, airplanes but most importantly in maritime transportation," Marcos said. (I hope more will invest in the shipping industry because the government can’t do it due to lack of funds.)

Binay also said it is high time to promote sea transportation as a mode of public transportation.

"Kasi nakikita naman natin ang ating mga kalsada punong-puno na. Our nautical highway, it’s high time to develop it. We need more investors for this kind of projects," said Binay.

Several prominent businessmen, public officials and politicians attended the blessing and inauguration of the new vessel including Ambassador Frank Benedicto, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino, Cebu City North District Representative Raul del Mar, Cebu City Vice Mayor and mayoralty aspirant Edgar Labella, Mandaue City Vice Mayor Pontico Fortuna, among others.

Cokaliong was all beaming with pride and gratefulness for all the guests who attended the event.

When De la Rosa was about to go, staff and guests flocked to him for a selfie and he himself took his own selfie.

Unfortunately his phone fell into a manhole. Dela Rosa left the venue without waiting for his phone to be retrieved.

A forklift was used to remove the metal grill cover of the manhole to retrieve the cellphone.

 A port police said that the cellphone will be picked up by De la Rosa's aide. —/MBG (FREEMAN)