DAVAO CITY—The government is inclined to develop all the ports around the Davao Gulf rather than concentrate on expanding the main, but busiest, Sasa Wharf here.
Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario of Davao del Norte, chairman of the Regional Development Council, said the body was not concerned with the Davao City Council’s disclosure of alleged anomalous construction inside the Sasa Wharf and the desire of the city government that the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) expand the port operation to accommodate the increasing volume of cargo.
“What we are looking at now is how we can integrate all the ports around the Davao Gulf,” he said.
The plan to integrate the operations of all the ports around the gulf was meant to anticipate the surge of cargo landings in the region “as an expected offshoot of the Asean [Association of Southeast Nations] economic integration.”
Vicente Lao, chairman of the Mindanao Business Council, agreed with del Rosario, as both faced the members of the Davao media at the side of the meeting of the board of directors of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the government socioeconomic planning unit for Mindanao.
“The Sasa Wharf is already congested and it would need a lot of money to acquire additional land,” Lao said.
He added that the wharf has become the busiest port in Southern Mindanao and would need back-up ports to accommodate more ships away from it.
MinDA Chairman Luwalhati R. Antonino said the PPA should deal with funding requirement to upgrade the Sasa Port. “If there are bidders, then well and good.”
“But if there are no successful bidding, then it must derive the money from internal funds,” she said.
Del Rosario pointed out that the concentration of focus only at the Sasa Port has serious implications on movement of goods.
“Sasa is where the port is, and the airport also. But traffic has also become worse and it would not be far-fetched that the Sasa Port would face the same problem of port congestion that Manila now faces,” he warned.
Del Rosario said banana exporters have diverted their shipment through the port in Panabo City in Davao del Norte because of the frequency and volume requirement needed by banana exporters.
“Sasa may want to reclaim it from Panabo, but it must show proof that it can handle the banana-shipment operations efficiently,” del Rosario said.
Besides, he said, “just near the port are smaller, but efficient, ports, such as the private ports in Tibungco.”
Other ports eyed for improvement and possible integration into one Davao Gulf port operation would be the wharves in Panabo City, Barangay Madaum in Tagum City, and in Maco, Compostela Valley.
“They can take turns absorbing the shipments that may come in volume after the Asean integration next year,” he said.