By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — The Banago port is not in any way competing with the Bredco (Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp.) port, a Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) official said.
Banago port is being operated by PPA, a government agency, while Bredco is privately operated.
In fact, Banago port complements Bredco port, Engr. Enrique Fuentebaja, PPA port manager, told Panay News yesterday.
Some roll-on, roll-off (roro) vessels that dock at the Bredco port at the Reclamation Area are also docking at the Banago port.
“Allowing boats to dock is the inherent function of PPA,” Fuentebaja said.
To allow such operation, “we don’t need any permission from any local government, as all ports — including those that are privately owned — are under the PPA,” he said.
This “split” of roro vessels, according to Fuentebaja, does not indicate that there is competition between the two ports.
He said that the Banago port is a “new player” and that some roro vessels “cannot be accommodated [at the Bredco port] anymore.”
Fuentebaja also clarified that the ports’ delineation is “just the designation of a certain area for port development via an executive order from the President.”
During the time of Mayor Evelio Leonardia (now congressman), PPA conducted a survey of Banago port and submitted it to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for comment.
The City Council “recommended that we adjust our technical descriptions so [the development] will not affect the informal settlers at the entrance of the port,” Fuentebaja said.
But he said the houses at the entrance of the Banago port will inevitably be affected.
“We want to widen the road to three to four lanes,” he said. “Right now, the road is congested. Children who are playing are at risk, especially when big trucks pass by.”
Fuentebaja said the development of ports nationwide is part of the country’s preparations for the 2015 Asean Economic Integration.
He said the amended port delineation was submitted to then City Administrator Rogelio Balo. It was the same plan that the City Development Council approved, he said./PN
