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Friday, March 11, 2005
Local execs seek roll on, roll off operation for Makar port
By Allen V. Estabillo
IN A bid to relieve exporters and shippers from the Soccsksargen region of the skyrocketing shipping and freight costs, the Regional Development Council (RDC) urged the National Government to include the Makar port here in the roll on, roll off (Ro-Ro) shipping lane.
RDC chair and South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes said the opening of the Ro-Ro shipping route here will drastically cut down the cost of shipping local products, especially the fresh fruits and vegetables, to various markets in Metro Manila and other areas.
"Right now, our shippers have to go to Davao or Cagayan de Oro Cities just to transport their products via the Ro-Ro route," she said during the RDC's executive committee meeting in Koronadal City last Monday.
Fuentes said local shippers prefer to utilize the Ro-Ro shipping lane, which is part of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway and the Ro-Ro Food Highway, to avail of its incentives.
The Ro-Ro transportation system was launched by the national government two years ago to help reduce cargo-handling costs.
Under its implementing rules and regulations, port authorities will waive the share of revenues of terminal operators and will let go of' extraneous charges such as arrastre, or other cargo handling costs.
So far, Cagayan de Oro, Dapitan and Zamboanga Cities were already included in the Ro-Ro route.
Cagayan's Macabalan port serves as the main entry and exit point for Mindanao of the grains highway that involves the use of bulk-handling ships and facilities in transporting grains to Batangas port.
The Cagayan de Oro-Dumaguete-Batangas-Manila long haul route involves the use of super ferries with roll-on, roll-off cargo facilities that can transport other agricultural and fishery commodities from Mindanao to Luzon.
Fuentes said the Makar port would be a viable component of the Ro-Ro route since it is near the production areas in the Soccsksargen Region which covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Cotabato, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.
She said it would also complement various grains and cold storage facilities that are available in the area.
Fuentes said among the products that could gain from such setup are the fresh tropical fruits and vegetables from the area.
She said vegetable producers in South Cotabato are now starting to gain a significant share of the fresh vegetable market by selling packed mixed vegetable ingredients for popular dishes such as "pinangat" and "pinakbet."
The high domestic shipping and freight costs have been hampering the transport of various products from the region to Manila and other areas.
According to the Mindanao Economic and Development Council, shipping a 20-footer van from this city to Manila though domestic shipping companies costs at least $518.
For Bisaya stories from General Santos. Click here. (This section is updated every Monday)
(March 7, 2005 issue)
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