Winston pushes Cebu as transshipment hub

Although lawyer Winston Garcia has not declared his candidacy for Cebu governor in next year’s elections, he already has a program of government in mind.

If given the “chance to serve the province,” he said he will focus on projects that will harness Cebu’s potential as a major transshipment point and make the province “regain its rightful place.”

“I have a strategy or blueprint for Cebu to become number one again,” Garcia told the weekly 888 News Forum.

Members of the Garcia clan earlier expressed dismay over Cebu coming in third in the 2015 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index.

It was the first time, however, that provinces were included in the index.

Garcia, a former provincial board member and former head of the Government Security Insurance System (GSIS), said Cebu’s competitive advantage lies in its location.

Cebu serves as the major tourist gateway to central and southern Philippines.

Its extensive port facilities and proximity to intra-Asian shipping and air routes are major factors considered by multinational companies in establishing offices or factories here, he said.

Garcia said there is a need to add a parallel runway at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

He said that although work is now being done on the terminal, the terminal “does not make the airport.”

“Our runway is a limiting factor in the airport. Changing times have made the airport irrelevant and international airlines are hesitant about Cebu because we only have one runway,” said Garcia.

An additional runway will cost around P3 billion.

Last July, the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) Board approved the plan for a second runway.

Garcia also suggested moving the Cebu International Port to the Consolacion-Liloan area in the north.

“We will reclaim 500 hectares of foreshore in Liloan and Consolacion to transfer the port to accommodate ships from Europe, America, and the rest of Asia. The land can also be used as export processing zone for businesses,” he said.

A feasibility study on building a new international port in Consolacion is already up for government approval.

Garcia said Cebu used to be very competitive because of the port, but this has become very congested and ships have to navigate the shallow and narrow channel.

The lawyer also recommended the reclamation of 10,000 hectares of land for an eight-lane freeway in the south, plus buildable land for industrial, commercial and mixed-used purposes.

He said the project, seen to address the worsening traffic problem in Cebu, will cost around $1.5 billion.

Garcia said there is also a need for mass transport in the densely populated areas of Metro Cebu. He suggested a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system from Carcar City in the south to Danao City in the north which will cost $750 million for its first phase.

“The amounts sound unimaginable, but these can be implemented in three years’ time,” he said.

He added that he will not be spending a single centavo from the provincial or national governments and instead undertake the projects he recommended under the public-private partnerships (PPP) framework.

Within the first minute of his administration, he said he will declare all health services in the province’s 16 district hospitals free of charge.

Garcia also suggested breaking the monopoly in water distribution inMetro Cebu.

He said water services should be handled by different entities in three areas: Cebu City, which has the Cotcot-Lusaran Dam as source; Carcar City to Talisay City, which have enough water sources up to Argao; and Consolacion to Carmen.

“If we are together in this vision, we can provide employment opportunities not just in Cebu but in neighboring provinces. If we have determination, will and cooperation, we can do these in three years,” he said.

More than a week ago, the 56-year-old Garcia expressed his “interest” to run for governor in 2016 in a closed-door gathering attended by One Cebu party members.

Garcia said it pains him to see the deterioration of Cebu because of politics, compelling him to push for Cebu to have a choice of issues and programs of government, and not of personalities.