Mayor apologizes; Talisay city signs 25-year fish port deal
Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes apologized for not showing up yesterday morning for an appointment to sign a 25-year deal with a a private investor to develop and operate the idle Talisay City fish port.
The deal with the Asian Marine Transport Corp. was sealed later that evening when the mayor, Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante and some city councilors went to the office of the CEO in Cebu City at about 5 p.m. to sign the contract and clear things up.
The mayor apologized to the company president and CEO Paul Rodriguez, who had earlier fumed over the no-show and waited for two hours in the mayor’s office before tearing up a P9.6 million check in frustration and calling Talisay city “sick” and “unprofessional.”
“Since they (Talisay official) have given their sincere apologies, we have reconciled,” Rodriguez said in a phone interview.
He said the mayor explained that the contract signing was only “delayed” since he had some concerns about the 25-year lease that he wanted to clarify .
That night, both parties signed a lease contract for the shipping firm to pay Talisay City P800,000 a month for the use of the 2.4-hectare lot where the fish port and roll-on-roll-off port are located.
The mayor earlier wanted the firm to pay P1.098 million a month but they settled on the original amount in the contract.
The mayor also wanted Talisay city residents prioritized for jobs in the project, adding at the last minute that the firm should hire those endorsed by the mayor.
Rodriguez said he told the mayor the company does not want to be “political” in its hiring decisions.
“Whoever they are, if they are qualified, we will give them priority. Everyone can be hired,” he said.
The company will invest P560 million for the development and extension of the ro-ro port as a major gateway to Cebu. The Talisay port is envisioned as a major logistics hub for activities from Manila and Batangas to the Visayas and Mindanao.
Eduardo Gullas, former congressman and Talisay mayor, said de los Reyes’ earlier conduct sent the wrong signal to investors.
“Talisay City is not sick. The people are vibrant and alive. It’s just that the leadership is inept,” he told reporters.
The Talisay fish port was establishe during Gullas’ term as mayor at a cost P716 million.
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