BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines — Representative Alfredo Benitez (3rd district, Negros Occidental) is opposing the proposed P1-billion modernization program for Banago port in this city, a pet project of Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez Jr. with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
Benitez recently told The FREEMAN that he opposed the plan of Golez and PPA to spend millions of pesos for the modernization of Banago port, which is currently operated by the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation (BREDCO).
BREDCO is owned by Benitez' grandfather Simplicio Palanca, raising some issues against the congressman's contention.
Benitez however countered: "For me the issue is: Do we really need two ports in one city? Whether the operator of BREDCO is a relative or not, the important question that should be answered is still, 'Do we really need two ports in Bacolod?' If (the owner of BREDCO) is somebody else, it's still the same question that we should ask."
The modernization program of Banago port, with an estimated budget of P716 million in long-term development projects and more than P280 million more in short-tem projects, has been pushed by Golez.
Golez, in a press conference last February, said he facilitated for this fund of PPA to be appropriated for the Banago port because he wanted to "bring back the old glory of Bacolod through these kinds of improvements."
Benitez said he called up PPA manager Juan Sta. Ana to reconsider "spreading out" its ports in the province. The latter in turn promised the congressman to "put on hold" the Banago port modernization program pending the agency's reassessment. "Do we use government funds to compete with the private sector?" Benitez said.
In March, House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III said he would look into the proposed modernization program using government funds, adding that due to the existence of the BREDCO Port the use of government money against an existing private entity is anti-investment.
Benitez had another proposal to the PPA instead, and that is to use the fund in building a port in the 3rd district, either in E. B. Magalona town or Victorias City. The 3rd district has the most number of sugar mills in the province, and the construction of port here could boost the sugar trading in the province.
E.B. Magalona Mayor David Albert Lacson earlier said his town has already plans for the modernization of the existing mini-port in Brgy. Tuburan, which will cost around P300 million, and the LGU is only waiting for the money to finance the project.
Lacson said the port in his town is the nearest to Iloilo and can connect to Banate port with an estimated travel time of 35 minutes to 40 minutes only. With the modernization of the Tuburan port, RORO vessels and big fishing vessels can be accommodated there, and goods and rice from Panay and Negros could be transported faster, he said.
Fernando Claveria, port district manager of the Port District Office in the Visayas who presented the proposed development plan of Banago port, said P18.26 million has been earmarked for the repair and renovation of existing Ferry Terminal into a Passenger Terminal and PMO Building, P35 million for the repair of causeway, and P200 million for the construction of a RORO facility.
Under its long-term plan, PPA allots P716 million for the proposed reclamation, PMO Building and other facilities, including road network, drainage system, RIPRAP/sheet pile, weighing scale and scale house, and rentable space, Claveria said.
The ownership of the Banago port is however still being contested by the DENR and the PPA but Golez said that even if negotiations dragged on for two months or more, the work on modernization program goes on.
"The development will not be delayed. No matter what happens, we committed that before 2013 we have an established public port in Bacolod," Golez said.