Council ‘can’t act on port delineation sans CDC approval’

BACOLOD City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said on Monday that the City Council cannot act on the request by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) for the approval of the port zone delineation (PZD) for Banago Port without the endorsement of the City Development Council (CDC).

Once the CDC approves the PZD, the City Council’s role is to ratify such endorsement, Sayson said.

However, the CDC has held in abeyance the said request pending the creation of a committee that will study the economic viability of Banago Port and how it is going to affect the existing Bredco port.

The committee will also study if the two ports can economically survive if they operate simultaneously in the city.

The CDC will then base its endorsement on the result of the study.

The City Council recently referred to Councilor Caesar Distrito the said request from PPA asking for a legislative endorsement for the PZD.

Last week, the council also referred to the committee on laws and to the committee on transportation and traffic the letter of Bredco president lawyer Simplicio Palanca, who opposes the Banago Port development.

“I will schedule a public hearing and maybe will just consolidate Bredco and PPA’s letters, as they touch on the same concern - one is regarding the Banago Port development, while the other is opposing it,” Distrito said.

“We will hear both arguments and hopefully the committee can then decide what necessary action it will undertake. I am sure that whatever decision it will be, the greater interest of the city will be the higher consideration,” he added. (Carla N. Canet)