PGMA Inaugurates P120M Roro-type Port Terminal In San Ricardo
Maasin City, Southen Leyte – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has inaugurated during the recently Tuesday the newly-finished P120M roro-type port terminal in brgy. Binet, San Ricardo, Panaon Island of this province in a simple ceremony attended by some local, provincial and Maasin city officials.
This was the disclosure of Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo, 11 in an interview at his office at the provincial capitol here.
He said prior to the inauguration and the blessing of the project, advanced party like the Presidential Security Guards and the Presidential Management staff were sent to the place. Tarpaulins were also distributed to the 4 Chief Executives of Liloan, San Francsico, Pintuyan and San Ricardo that were posted in strategic locations of the island.
“PGMA arrived in brgy. Binet aboard a ferry boat from Surigao Port Terminal accompanied by some of her cabinet members at past 12:00 noon”, Maamo said. He said right after the cutting of the ribbon, blessing of the port terminal followed, which was officiated by Bishop Precioso Cantillas.
The Vice-Governor further said that after taking their lunch, GMA, DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr,; DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, DTI Secretary Peter Favila and PPA General Manger Oscar Sevilla were brought to Liloan Port Terminal in a convoy of 50 vehicles where the presidential chopper has landed.However, Secretary Mendoza was whisked to Tacloban City, he said, to take a plane for Manila since the chopper h as a limited capacity.
He revealed that the roro-type port, now managed by the Philippine Port Authority which took one year and a half to finish, still waits for interested shipping company. He implied the new port needs a shipping firm that will provide a regular ferryboat services for travelers in Panaon Island and other parts of Southern Leyte who want to go to Mindanao via Surigao or vice-versa in shorter travel time.
From the Liloan port terminal to Surigao port terminal, it will take 4 hours by ferry boat to reach the place, it was learned. Whereas, from brgy.Binet port terminal, a ferry boat on calm sea can reach the Surigao port terminal in less than an hour. On the other hand, when the principal roads of Panaon Island was not yet concreted, it would take about 2 hours to reach San Ricardo from the proper town of Liloan.Now with cemented highway roads, it will only take 45 minutes on a non-stop drive from Liloan to San Ricardo.
Moreover, the President has a unique way of inaugurating the newly-finished port. Instead of seeing her and her entourage landed in brgy. Binet by a chopper for the inauguration, she and company were aboard a ferry boat from Surigao port terminal.
The reversal of the travel, it was found out, was a form of ceremonial travel test and for the President to have” a feel for a sea ride” between the two places.
Reportedly, after the Binet inauguration, PGMA is supposed to visit the Agas-Agas Bridge in brgy.Kahupian, Sogod to see for herself its construction development. After that she will proceed to Maasin for the opening of the newly-finished wet market constructed near the bus terminal at the reclamation area.
Nonetheless, it did not push through because the President has to attend to other important things to do. Like she was going to attend to the funeral of each of the 8 presidential staff who have perished in accidental chopper crash in Timog area located between Baguio and Ifugao province. They were sent earlier as an advanced party for the President’s visit to the place. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)
About the Contributor:
Leave your response!