MARINA acts on SP-Palacio issue

By GINA SUELLO-SORILO
April 28, 2008

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar  –  The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Head Office has launched an investigation on FJP Shipping Lines’ M/V Calbayog vessel in response to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) resolution sent to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Cesar M. Gabutin, Division Manager of Terminal Management Office (TMO) here disclosed that two officials from MARINA head office who arrived April 17 are going to visit Mangginoo port and the city mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento. M/V Calbayog ship Capt. Teofanes Ganzon also confirmed the arrival of the two officials who he said had a meeting with the Palacio officials in Cebu and had inspected the vessel.

The City Council here adopted a Resolution No. 2008-05-119 requesting the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to intercede in the decision of MARINA for extending FJP Lines’ pioneering status for its Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) vessel M/V Calbayog for another five years. Its proponent is Councilor Virgilio Porlares who heads the committee on transportation and communication.

With this status, the company is also entitled to protection from entry of new operators for another five years or up to Jan. 4, 2011.

The resolution said MARINA failed to inform, invite, consider and give importance to the local officials and the Calbayognons being the primary beneficiary of the services of FJP Shipping Lines during the process of hearing the application or request for extension.

In earlier reports, MARINA explained that based on their guidelines a public consultation is not required to act on the application and that the pioneering status does not mean a monopoly because other shipping companies that are not engaged in RoRo operation can still take the route.

City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento, in a radio DYOG report recently called on the City Council to pass a resolution declaring Mangginoo port, the other operational port here as a missionary route. This, after MARINA has recommended said port to be a missionary route in order to retain the pioneering status it granted to FJP Lines.

Protection for investment

In an interview with radio DYOG’s “Talakayan Pulso san Bungto” program, FJP Shipping Lines owner Engineer Florentino Palacio clarified that the pioneering status’ extension is a protection for his P55 million investment.

Palacio, who is also the founder and former president of the Visayas Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operator (VAFCSO), said he has to recover for the rehabilitation of M/V Calbayog vessel which was gutted by fire in 2002. He said that the vessel was insured but it was not released.

“Kon mayda makasulod nga iba paano ako makarecover san akon investment? Dry docking alone mahal, an palitunon mahal, an krudo sige increase...kon dire kami kumita how are we going to maintain the vessel?” Palacio said.

He said many shipping companies plying with a missionary route were given pioneering status all over the Philippines. Calbayog and Catbalogan are considered missionary routes. “Waray nakada, so once may ada shipping company makada siton nga ruta gintatagan pirme pioneering status,” Palacio said.

The ship owner said even the 5-year period is not enough for him to recover his investment. Citing a low income every voyage, he raised the possibility of giving up one of these days.

In 2006 for the vessel, TMO-Calbayog recorded arrivals of 27,867 passengers and 21,269 for departures. This is lower than the 2007 arrivals which is 29,114 and departures of 26,678. It has also recorded a total of 62,051.63 metric tons of inbound cargoes while 6,483.66 metric tons outbound cargoes in 2006. In 2007 however, it reached 85,847.60 metric tons inbound cargoes and 7,217.15 metric tons outbound cargoes.

FJP Shipping Lines is the only shipping company which lasted for 31 years here plying between Cebu and Calbayog. Manned by 37 crews, its vessel consumes at least 4,600 liters of crude oil for two trips. It has a capacity of 560 passengers but it only obtain an average of 195 passengers every voyage.

FJP, like other members of VAFSCO – Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Lite Shipping, and Trans Asia Shipping Lines, uses crude oil which is expensive than the bunker fuel used by bigger shipping companies such as Sulpicio Lines, Gothong and Aboitiz.

Back load

Palacio bared that of all the vessels he operates, he specifically identified M/V Calbayog for having no cargoes going back to Cebu. He said he had already tried in Catbalogan but he failed to sustain the vessel for the same problem citing millions of losses.  He added that even the volume of cargoes now going to Cebu is not enough for the profit. “Dida la ako nagsakripisyo sa Calbayog tungod taga-dida ako,” he said.

Asked for a possibility of having a boat daily he said: “Samot na ko diri makita. An shipping company makita kon mayda back load. Kon akon i-everyday an volume san cargo madivide na.” He added that it could be possible “unless the government will subsidize for the fuel.”

The vessel regularly arrives every morning and departs in the evening on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays of the week. Its regular departure schedule is 7 p.m. but lately it departs at 4 p.m. or 10 p.m. due to a low tide situation.

Other complaints

The City Council’s resolution also cited complaints from the businessmen and shippers which were manifested during the public hearing it conducted last August 14. Among them are high cargo fees, inefficient service, unworthy vessel for Calbayog, delay in the shipment of cargoes, damaged cargoes, vessel’s safetiness and sea worthiness, repainting jobs, malfunctioning air-conditioned units, need for a dry dock every year and high fare rates.

With these complaints, Palacio invited the public to see the vessel by themselves. He stressed that the delay is not their fault saying they arrive on time but because of the shallow draft they cannot dock.

Since last year, the vessel’s passengers have been experiencing the discomfort of disembarking. It remains afloat at the anchorage area more or less 500 meters from the port’s docking area when it arrives in Calbayog.

“An mga tawo amon nala ginpapasakay sa pumpboat. Kami an nabayad. That is additional expense makakadto la sira sa pantalan,” Palacio said. The ship waits for a high tide to be able to dock. There were many times he said that the vessel tried to dock but the propeller was damaged which resulted to an emergency dry dock.

Dredging

Palacio believes that proper dredging will solve the problem but according to Lino Bagares of TMO, it will soon be pushed through on May or June this year.

The port’s 99-meter extension project amounting to P46 million is on going which the city mayor has been reported saying it is funded by Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) with a local counterpart for the construction of the break water canal to mitigate siltation and eventually solve the docking problem.

The city has another operational port in Barangay Mangginoo, Tinambacan District, 21 km. from the city proper where bigger vessels can easily dock but Palacio said a survey they conducted showed majority of the people still choose the City Port. There, Palacio said, he is going to increase the passage rate and freight charges since there is a difference of a 5-hour travel time.

“Kon kumadto ako sa Mangginoo, yes but I pity the people... everything will increase. Waray ako maghuna-huna para la akon kalugaringon. Pakiana tanan shipping company kon sino an naglilibre pasahe pagkarga sin patay nga tawo dida sa barko hasta pa mga katungdan san namatay,” he said.

MARINA clearance

On complaints with poor sanitation and service, Palacio said no shipping company is perfect. A complaint on air-conditioning unit was immediately fixed. Besides, he said MARINA will not issue a clearance if the vessel is not seaworthy and once the vessel is on dry dock it is being surveyed by Classification Society who reports to MARINA the status of the vessel.

The utility personnel of the vessel confirmed they experienced once a shortage on the supply of water which was loaded from Calbayog but the problem was immediately solved by loading adequate water supply in Cebu. He also called on the passengers to cooperate in maintaining the vessel’s cleanliness saying there are some who does not dispose of garbage properly especially in the toilets.

The City Council’s resolution however said that Calbayog is a progressing city and so there is an increasing need of transport services for its growth and development.