LGU-San Ricardo Requests SP To Enjoin PCG To Speed Up Salvage Operation For Sunken Ship
By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.
Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Local Government Unit of San Ricardo town of this province has requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to enjoin the Philippine Coast Guard to speed up salvage operation of an abandoned sunken ship near the roro port in brgy.Benit.
An LGU resolution stated that the passenger ferryboat Ocean King sold to Navotas-based Salvor has posed navigational hazard to any ship or boat that might dock in Benit port, which is part of Surigao Deep.
During the fourth quarter of last year an extremely inclement weather bringing strong winds has affected the surrounding seas of Surigao facing the Pacific Ocean, resulting to continuous lashing of huge waves, has capsized the aforesaid passenger boat as it approached the port, according to our source.
Another witness had said that the regular route of Ocean King was Lipata to Liloan port. Because of the habagat wind (northeastern monsoon) the sea facing the Pacific Ocean became very rough and huge waves were lashing the big boat, oscillating from side to side. Its skipper tried to have an emergency landing at Benit port in San Ricardo. However, the huge waves continued to strike the boat until the weigh of several loaded vehicles have caused the fastened large ropes to give way, and the vehicles skidded to the other side, thus causing an imbalance and it sunk.
SP Abelardo Almario of District Two of which Panaon Island is under his jurisdiction, disclosed there were no reported casualties, except that the derelict ship has remained at the bottom of the sea, until their recent session at the provincial capitol.
On of the reasons for the request of speeding up the recovery of the ill-fated Ocean King is that another Cebu-based shipping company called Montenegro Shipping Lines is interested to ply its passenger boat on a Benit-Lipata,Surigao route and vice versa. Ocean King was the ferry boat used by GMA and her entourage of high government officials during the inauguration of the Benit Port during the first week of April 2009.
The shipping company has requested the assistance of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to urge MARINA to act favorably on its application to operate in the area. This is to serve travelers from Surigao and other parts of Mindanao in reaching the province thru the Benit port in Panaon Island.
SP Florentino Fernandez, Chair Committee on Public Utilities, told his colleagues during a weekly session that the issuance of Certificate of Public Convenience by MARINA is for the benefit of travelers and traders from Southern Leyte to Mindanao and vice versa. Although PPA-Tacloban has already endorsed MSL’s application for MARINA’s approval.
“Lipata is the logical link to San Ricardo in Panaon Island which is facing Surigao province and the most practical and beneficial route between the two places”, he said.
With the disappearance of the mode of transportation between Benit and Lipata ports, Fernandez said, the former’s port has become ungainly meaningless and a waste of public funds. The funds for the construction of Benit roro port amounted to P120M, according to Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo, 11, in an interview in April 2009 at the provincial capitol after its inauguration.
He claimed that “it is the policy of the government that a healthy competition among the ship owners that would apply the aforesaid route would redound to the benefit of the travelling public”.
The approval of the LGU’s request was moved by Fernandez and was jointly seconded by SPs Albert Esclamado and Sarah Dampog, ex-officio member, PCL-President, Southern Leyte Federation.
A staff of the SP Secretariat has said that the request-resolution was already mailed to MARINA-7 in Cebu.The Sangguniang Panlalawigan was still waiting for the latter’s response.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)
Systems Technology Institute(STI)-Maasin,
4th Floor, Zialcita-Oppus Bldg.,
Above Mercury Drug, Maasin City, Southern Leyte.
Courses Offer: Information Technology, Computer and
Electronic Technology, Hotel and Restaurant Services,
Travel and Tourism. For more information call telephone
Number (053) 381-3744.
Aqua Health Alkaline Ionized Water
No. 043 R K. Kangleon St., Mantahan,
Maasin City, So.Leyte.Contact no.(053)381-5555;
0999-5815555; 0915-8762555.
No comments:
Post a Comment