Non-Operation of San Jose port Antique traders losing P40M monthly income

SAN JOSE, ANTIQUE, Philippines — Businessmen in this province have been losing an average of P40 million monthly in trade with their business partners in Cuyo Island, Palawan and Puerto Princesa City due to the non-operation of the port in this capital town of Antique.

Nelson Liu Chiang, in a PNA report, said that several years ago, from the time MBRS Lines and Milagrosa Shipping stopped calling on the port of San Jose because of the port's poor maintenance and neglect by government officials, the business community in San Jose lost an average of P40 million every month.

"The people of Cuyo and neighboring islands regularly trade with us. They buy their grocery supplies, soft drinks, beer, gasoline, LPG, rice and other food and agriculture products from us. In exchange, they bring their fish and dried fish as well as other marine products here," Chiang said.

He said MBRS and Milagrosa Shipping vessels used to dock in San Jose port regularly. There also used to be smaller wooden-hulled vessels carrying passengers and cargo to and from Cuyo Island, but these have stopped calling on the port of San Jose since four or five years ago.

"We have always included the improvement and maintenance of San Jose Port in our resolutions and requests but these always fell on deaf ears. Every time government officials call for a meeting or seminar with the business community, this issue is always discussed but nothing happened," Chiang said.

"The port is very important. This is where big volume of farm products and manufactured products pass. Governor Exequiel Javier and the other government officials know that. They have been there for so many years and yet they failed to heed our request that they develop San Jose Port. We have been asking them to prioritize the port's improvement and maintenance," said Chiang.

Aside from the San Jose Port , Chiang also lamented the lack of concern of government officials on the non-operation for several years now of San Jose Airport, renamed Evelio B. Javier Airport. (FREEMAN)