PANGLAO,
BOHOL, Philippines — The barangay chairman of Tangnan in this town
alleged that he found some names of already dead persons in the
manifesto of protest against the planned construction of a sea port at
sitio Tabuan in the village.
Punong Barangay Cirilo Gatase told The Freeman that the manifesto, signed by hundreds of barangay residents, was published in the local weekly papers recently allegedly perpetrated by critics and political enemies of Panglao Mayor Leonila Montero and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes.
Gatase however said he was unsure of how many “dead persons” signed the protest papers, and he had tasked his secretary to determine this further.
Contrary to the published manifesto, Gatase said the Barangay Council was not totally against the construction of the port, but only wanted to have the project go through the process, like a barangay assembly or public hearing first to make his constituents understand it more.
A public hearing was earlier conducted though, in the presence of the mayor and the vice mayor, but Gatase would like to do it again for the sake of transparency and wider consultation. Another public hearing was slated at the Barangay Hall, he added.
Earlier, barangay residents protested against the planned jetty, citing environmental degradation, perceived rise of criminality and preservation of patrimony.
Gatase confirmed that the Barangay Council on June 9 last year
approved Resolution No. 12-14, “authorizing the C. Harrison Power
Enterprises and Construction Services to construct a jetty port and
operate the same for the purpose of delivering construction materials
needed for the New Bohol Airport.”
The resolution also authorized Gatase himself to enter into a memorandum of agreement for the construction of the jetty port.
The MOA further provided that the planned port will be constructed by Ormoc City-based C. Harrison Power Enterprises and Construction Services, the contractor, having a “width of 50 meters, length of not less than 300 meters, and a depth of not less than 15 meters at the expense of the contractor.”
The port was intended for the “unloading and delivering construction materials needed by the contractor for the new Bohol Airport.” It will be for the exclusive use of the contractor for a period of 10 years, the MOA said.
The barangay will get P1,100 as docking fee from the contractor for every barge at the port. The latter shall also pay local taxes for port operations, while providing spaces for docking fishing boats and developing a barangay road to and from the port and the highway. (Source:
 |
| Photo of a typical jetty port. Credits: Wikipedia |
Punong Barangay Cirilo Gatase told The Freeman that the manifesto, signed by hundreds of barangay residents, was published in the local weekly papers recently allegedly perpetrated by critics and political enemies of Panglao Mayor Leonila Montero and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes.
Gatase however said he was unsure of how many “dead persons” signed the protest papers, and he had tasked his secretary to determine this further.
Contrary to the published manifesto, Gatase said the Barangay Council was not totally against the construction of the port, but only wanted to have the project go through the process, like a barangay assembly or public hearing first to make his constituents understand it more.
A public hearing was earlier conducted though, in the presence of the mayor and the vice mayor, but Gatase would like to do it again for the sake of transparency and wider consultation. Another public hearing was slated at the Barangay Hall, he added.
Earlier, barangay residents protested against the planned jetty, citing environmental degradation, perceived rise of criminality and preservation of patrimony.
The resolution also authorized Gatase himself to enter into a memorandum of agreement for the construction of the jetty port.
The MOA further provided that the planned port will be constructed by Ormoc City-based C. Harrison Power Enterprises and Construction Services, the contractor, having a “width of 50 meters, length of not less than 300 meters, and a depth of not less than 15 meters at the expense of the contractor.”
The port was intended for the “unloading and delivering construction materials needed by the contractor for the new Bohol Airport.” It will be for the exclusive use of the contractor for a period of 10 years, the MOA said.
The barangay will get P1,100 as docking fee from the contractor for every barge at the port. The latter shall also pay local taxes for port operations, while providing spaces for docking fishing boats and developing a barangay road to and from the port and the highway. (Source:
"Dead persons" among signatories in protest vs Panglao port project? - The Freeman)
The Way I Look at It
Whichever way I look at it, this kind of project is good for the barangay. Fortunate is a barangay such as Brgy. Tangnan because whether it likes it or not, it is in the path of progress and development. It is up to its leaders and residents whether to take advantage of this positive development or not.
Add to this, the system that was adopted to bring this project to reality is timely and aligned to the so-called Public-Private Partnership where projects that can't be funded by a government unit are financed instead by the private sector.
Add to this, the system that was adopted to bring this project to reality is timely and aligned to the so-called Public-Private Partnership where projects that can't be funded by a government unit are financed instead by the private sector.
This in my view, is an innovative model to speed-up the development of a town, province or even a barangay.
When a barangay is in the path of progress, just like the used-to-be "backward" barangay where I was born and grew up but now hosts over 5,000 business establishments, it's about time for barangay leaders to change their mindset when it comes to developing their respective barangays.
Their focus should not only be on how they'll make ends meet with their IRAs or Internal Revenue Allotments. A barangay chairman is just like a CEO or Chief Executive of a company and the barangay that he leads, just like a corporation.
Like in a corporation, the priority of a barangay chairman of today should be a sustained effort in generating revenues for the barangay under its jurisdiction so it will have the budget to sustain all the needed services for its constituents. (JIM)
