Lawmaker asserts needs for more ports

BACOLOD City lone district Representative Anthony Golez Jr. asserted that having two or more ports will accelerate the progress and development of Bacolod City.

He said he cannot understand why his fellow officials could not see the wisdom of having two ports for Bacolod, just like other growing cities of Cebu, Manila and other cities abroad.

He said it is only now that the city conducted a study on the feasibility of having an additional port, although incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia has been sitting as the city's chief executive for close to nine years now.

That shows a lack of vision for the city, Golez pointed out.

The establishment of the Banago port will spark competition with the existing Bredco port and that will be beneficial to the commuting public, he added.

The lawmaker said reports that Bredco charges port fees to passengers to and from Bacolod.

Earlier, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)-Pulupandan PMO officer Enrique Puentebaja furnished the City Council the draft of the Executive Order relative to PPA's request for the approval of the Port Zone Delineation necessary for the planned establishment of the first public port in Banago.

The council duly noted receipt of the draft order but no additional action has been taken by the council on the letter.