Port workers, users march vs. cronyism - Gotcha

If Manila's city officials stand accused of selling two public roads to a mall owner, what do you make of this? In Pasig, the owner of a building and a vacant lot along Pearl Drive collects parking fees on sidewalks. He does it round the clock everyday, including weekends, at a rate of P30 for the first two hours and P20 for every hour thereafter. He boasts of being a friend of a son of a very high official, and has policemen to help "enforce" his parking rules.

Cronyism may make a friend or two happy on the short term, but it disgruntles many times more businessmen, their workers and customers in the long run. That is the message that port operators, laborers and users sent to President Joseph Estrada when they marched to Malacanang the other day.

The Coalition for Ports Modernization asked Estrada to order the Philippine Ports Authority to bid out the operation of the Port of Manila not only to one but two or more contractors. The group of port managers, employees, shippers, cargo handlers and manning agencies also asked him to rescind his executive orders that allows PPA to award the contract to a giant monopoly. That way, they said, the country's premiere port can be truly modernized. Moreover, there will be fair competition for better services at lower prices because everybody will be given freedom of choice.

The problem has long been festering. As far back as Oct. 1998, two Estrada campaign donors had joined forces to move into five ports that have erstwhile been managed by PPA. By December, they got a Malacanang official to insert a draft EO among papers for Estrada's signature. EO-59 would let just one giant contractor run the ports of Manila, Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga. The two cronies rammed EO-59 down the throats of PPA board members, who were too scared to protest or else lose their jobs.

Other port operators got wind of EO-59 and raised a howl. Labor groups, shippers and other port users joined them, realizing that EO-59 would give the two cronies exclusive right and pricing over all types of port operations -- from big cargo handling to small newsstands. It would even allow the cronies to impose on shippers where to buy fuel, supplies and food for the crew. So the port users asked Malacañang to restudy it.

The cronies and their Malacañang contact were too sly. They got Estrada to sign a modified EO-59-A. The revision was superficial: PPA would bid out only Manila's North Harbor for starters -- but still to only one giant contractor. Monopoly, the major complaint of protesters, was still guaranteed for the salivating cronies.

Foreign lenders and aid donors took notice. They told Malacañang they would not release soft loans for ports development if their money would only go into the coffers of the cronies. They also threatened to scrap all other aid for such projects as telecommunications and shipping if EO-59 and its equally monopolistic variant were put in place.

Malacanang shelved the project. The cronies laid low, travelling quietly with Estrada in his overseas jaunts. A new PPA management took over. The protests died down.

To the surprise of Coalition members, PPA revived EO-59-A last January and began scripting a negotiated bidding that would give the two cronies what they wanted all this time. Port operators, workers and users had thought they were dealing with a new, improved Estrada -- one who keeps denying cronyism and promising no concessions to friends and kin. Disappointed, they marched to Malacañang the day after Estrada called for national unity and an end to bickering. But how can they stop complaining, when they see plum deals being awarded to fellows who were lucky to have put their bet on the right presidential candidate in '98?

It's now Estrada's call. He can opt to enforce EO-59's monopolistic design to make two campaign contributors happy. In the process, he can forget his much-applauded pronouncement that such contributors should consider themselves repaid by his works for the common good. He can then sit back and watch first the North Harbor and then the four other ports deteriorate as two concessionaire-cronies laugh their way to the bank. Or he can surprise everybody by declaring an open public bidding -- for two or more competing operators per port.

Don't blink or you'll miss the development. Fast rising in Libis, Quezon City is the first information technology zone called Eastwood Cyberpark. Once finished by Empire East Land Holdings Inc., the area will house computer hardware and software makers and distributors, Internet and e-commerce thinkers, and an infotech school -- everything about cyberspace in seven compact hec- tares in the heart of the city.

INTERACTION. Robert T. Arciaga, Vancouver: Kudos to Secretaries Roxas and Romualdez on their fight for reasonable drug prices (Gotcha, 10 April 2000). At last we have two Erap appointees doing their job. I was in Manila recently and found that medicines I am taking cost as much as in Canada. If prices are much lower in India, maybe we should investigate the industry here too.

Yes, Robert, consumers deserve a better shake here or anywhere.

Royco Hautea, yahoo.com: Medicine prices are high because makers spend too much on giveaways, dining doctors and sending them to seminars abroad. A tablet of paracetamol costs P1 to make, but sells for P2.50.

Joey Legarda, Makati: Gloria Macapagal may be playing coy, but Erap shouldn't push her. She got more votes than he did in 1998.

Thank you, Jay Aranas, Miguel Claudio, Roberto Pimentel, Rhoel Mendoza, Juan Ventura, Ben Bie, Tibo Acosta, Rene Bernardo, San Agustin of surfshop.com, Pete Lacaba, Jess Santiago, Aida Aguas, ETS of cybercomm, Marilou Go.

YOUR BODY. Vitamin C can prevent gallbladder disease in women, while lack of it increases disease risk. "With increased consumption of fruits and vegetables or a modest supplement (250-500 mgs), you help prevent diseases such as gallbladder disease," CNN quoted University of California lead researcher Dr. Joel Simon in a report.

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