Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Caticlan Jetty Port Breaths Bad

The Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan holds its Regular Session every Wednesday of the week. It held its 7th Regular Session last Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the SP Session Hall, Capitol, Estancia, Kalibo.

The Order of Business was as follows:

I. Call to Order

II. Opening Prayer

III. National Anthem

IV. Aklan Hymn

V. Roll Call and Determination of Quorum, and

VI. Proposed Provincial Enactments

The first five parts did not consume so much time. It lasted for about five minutes.

However, Part VI, Proposed Provincial Enactments consumed almost all the time.

Part VI consisted of

A. Unfinished Business;

B. New Business, and

C. Municipal Enactments

At 11:00 o’clock on last Wednesday’s session, the SP presided by Vice Gov. Gabrielle V. Calizo – Quimpo was still discussing the No. 5 agenda under the Unfinished Business.

What is this VI. 5 Agenda?

This is the transmittal “letter from Mr. Niven M. Maquirang, Jetty Port Administrator relative to the incident that transpired last December 26, 2011 at the Caticlan Jetty Port and Passengers Terminal at around 10:00 o’clock in the evening where there were around two hundred (200) tourist passengers stranded at the terminal because there was no banca from CBTMPC or fast craft from Montenegro Lines to transfer them to Boracay Island”.

The said report was furnished the Committee on Tourism, Committee on Laws, and others which met on February 20, 2012 to study; discussed and submit report on it. These committees recommended that it be noted with serious concern as Marina has assured this body that it is pursuing Marine Investigation on the incident (Committee Report No. 2012 – 050)”.

Disturbing Report

The Committee Report No. 2012 – 050 is highly disturbing. It merely recommended that it “be noted with serious concern as Marina has assured….it is pursuing Marine Investigation”

That incident at Caticlan Jetty Port is very alarming and highly abnormal. Who is the host of those 200 stranded passengers? It is not Marina but Aklan. Marina did not invite them to visit Malay. It is Aklan which extend a continuing invitation to visit Aklan through its Tourism Program. This must be investigated by a committee to be formed by the Office of the Provincial Governor. The investigating committee must be empowered to submit its findings, analysis and recommendations to the provincial governor after its investigation.

Listening to the discussion on the matter during the SP session, it was revealed, the report was prepared by a security guard. Has the Governor assigned the management of the Caticlan Jetty Port to the security guard? Where are the officers duly assigned to manage the jetty port?

The absence of the officer who was duly tasked to manage the jetty port when the incident happened deserves a certain appropriate sanction for reneging his/her duties and responsibilities.

While authority maybe delegated to a junior officer, responsibility can never be delegated.

In his State of the Province Address, Gov. Carlito S. Marquez reported the arrival of some 908,875 tourists last year of whom 39.6 percent were foreigners while 548,853 or 60.4 percent were Filipinos.

This number will fast and greatly diminish if we continue the way such as how we received the tourists in the evening of Monday, Dec. 26, 2011. The way they were received was “Bad breath”, only in Caticlan Jetty Port.

Perhaps, Gov. Marquez may prepare a training program designed to enhance excellent management in handlimg tourists for our tourist management officials. Better still if a one week observation studies in Singapore or Vietnam is held. /MP