Firm eyes ship repair facility in Dalaguete

A Cebu-based shipping company plans to put up a ship repair facility in Dalaguete town in southern Cebu.

Suspended Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante declined to identify the firm until they resume informal talks on June 8, the end of the election period.

“The location (of the repair facility) isn’t final yet but we already agreed in principle, save for some formalization,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the launching of a Negosyo Center in the town yesterday.

He said having a ship repair facility in Dalaguete will generate more jobs there, considering that the town’s skills training center produces welders.

“Maybe they can find jobs right here,” said Cesante.

Around 40,000 in Dalaguete are of employable age, 60 percent or 24,000 of whom are currently working in the agriculture industry.

The mayor said he was also hoping the shipping firm will invest in related activities in the town such as port development and even transport services.

The national government earmarked P8 million while the municipal government set aside P3 million specifically for port improvement projects this year, but Cesante said these allocations may not be enough.

He said the local government plans to expand the port in Barangay Poblacion by 25 meters toward the sea and improve existing facilities, all of which are estimated to cost P40 million.

Cesante described the port as “underutilized,” being used only two to three times in one month when coal supplies are delivered to power plants in the Bicol region.

The mayor also proposed for the shipping company to provide passenger and cargo transport services from the town to Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Siquijor, and northern Mindanao.

“Perhaps we could have roll-on-roll-off vessels at the port. But we have to improve its facilities first,” said Cesante.

He added that the company still hasn’t given feedback on his proposals, but said everything will be finalized before 2016 ends.

While the port is owned by the municipal government, Cesante said he will still have to coordinate improvement plans with the Cebu Port Authority and Cebu provincial government.