Monday, February 20, 2006
Port of Glan now limited international port
GLAN, Sarangani -- The Bureau of Immigration has declared the Port of Glan as a limited port of entry to boost cross-border trade, tourism, and investments between an economic cluster of small coastal towns in southern Mindanao and the northern provinces of Indonesia.
"Being a limited port of entry, the Bureau of Immigration office in Glan is now empowered to process and stamp the travel documents of passengers departing and arriving in Glan," Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr. said in a memorandum.
Due to trade activities with neighboring Indonesian cities or towns, "there will be movement of people," said lawyer Ernesto Mercado, alien control officer, based in General Santos City.
The commissioner in the memorandum dated January 24 cited the establishment of a direct shipping linkage between Glan and Tahuna and Bitung in Indonesia.
"As part of the initiative of the Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle (JAGS-CT), a direct shipping linkage between Glan and Tahuna and Bitung has been established," said Fernandez.
Mercado said, "When you declare a certain port as a limited port of entry, any vessel coming in from any country can be admitted."
"The vessel will be cleared by port officials like the customs, immigration, quarantine and security," Mercado added.
Governor Miguel Dominguez said the international port declaration shows that local government initiatives could forge partnerships to further develop trade and development with JAGS-CT and Indonesia.
"In the future, trade from Mindanao, from Sarangani, General Santos City, Socsargen (South Cotabato, Sarangani, and General Santos) would flow out of Glan into the region of Indonesia," Dominguez said.
Mayors of JAGS-CT have also forged a Memorandum of Understanding with a shipping agent and officials of national line agencies to support JAGS-CT-Indonesia trade linkages.
JAGS-CT has been putting together local exporters and importers who shall participate in cross-border trade activities.
The NHU Customs Brokerage and Shipping Agency, a private company based in Makar Wharf, General Santos City, would conduct shipping operations between the Port of Glan and its identified trading partners in Indonesia on a regular basis.
The Port of Glan hosts a Philippine Navy detachment, which is part of the Davao City-based naval forces in eastern Mindanao.
The detachment was set up last November for maritime security against illegal fishermen, pirates, and illegal entrants.
The port looks out over maritime vessels passing Sarangani Bay to and from Makar Wharf in nearby General Santos City.
JAGS-CT, a local initiative formed in 2003 in support to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga), aims to increase trade, tourism and investments within the cooperation triangle by enhancing cross-border linkages with the northern provinces of Indonesia. (Sarangani Information Office)
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(February 20, 2006 issue)
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