To decongest Dumaguete port
Authorities and stakeholders in Negros Oriental have agreed on Wednesday to the use of alternative ports in the Province to help decongest a continuing surge of trucks at the Dumaguete port that have been diverted from the San Juanico Bridge that stretches between the islands of Samar and Leyte, as part of the Pan Philippine Highway.
During a press conference at the Philippine Ports Authority, Dumaguete Port Manager Rey del Moro said alternative ports were identified during a stakeholders’ meeting held earlier in the day.
“The first measure that we intend to pursue is to look for alternative ports, and these include the Tandayag Port, some private ports, and the port in Siaton,” he said.
The Tandayag port in the northern town of Amlan is accommodating roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) barges both for cargo and passengers, while the port in Tambobo Bay in barangay Bonbonon in Siaton town, about 43 kilometers south of Dumaguete, is now operational, and ready to accept applicants from shipping lines.
Edward Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said they are willing to find a holding area for the trucks that would ply the Tambobo Bay route once sea vessels start calling on the port there.
Lt. Marionne Abigail Enopia, Coast Guard-Negros Oriental station commander, said they have personnel assigned in Tambobo Bay to assist in the regulation of trucks coming to and from the port.
For his part, Engr. John Lester Pitogo of the Maritime Industry Authority in Negros Oriental said they are “issuing a relaxation of the Certificate of Public Convenience”, which allows vessels to depart the port ahead of or later than their schedule.
In the same meeting, Police Executive Master Sgt. Aurelio Bodo, Highway Patrol Team provincial chief, said their role is to ensure public safety for road users as “guardians of the highways”.
Bodo said they will invite the Department of Public Works & Highways to the next consultative meeting of stakeholders and agencies.
The measures discussed during the meeting will take effect immediately, or at the earliest time possible, the authorities said.
The three-ton load limit of the 53-year-old San Juanico Bridge that connects Leyte and Samar has barred trucks and buses from crossing since May 15, creating logistical challenges for the neighboring provinces.
Meanwhile, a driver of a truck that arrived Tuesday in this city from Iloilo was found dead on Wednesday morning.
His truck helper told police investigators that he found the driver lifeless inside the cab of the truck.
Bodo said investigation showed that the truck, loaded with motorcycles, was bound for Pagadian City, and was waiting for an available RoRo trip to Mindanao. (Judy F. Partlow)
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Photo Caption: The Tambobo Bay port in Siaton, the closest point to Mindanao from Negros Island, is set to become a busy hub with the plan to make it a jump-off point for roll-on-roll-off operations to ease the clogging of the Dumaguete seaport caused by the load restrictions imposed on the San Juanico Bridge in Samar-Leyte. (Google Earth photo)
