Cebu: A south harbor is necessary

Last week, National Economic and Development Authority regional director Efren Carreon reported that the construction of the New Cebu International Container Port could start this year. Costing P9.19 billion and expected to be completed by 2020, this new port is said to help “decongest traffic at the existing base port.” Well, logically, the base port (which is right inside Cebu City) will be decongested as international cargoes will be transferred to Tayud, Consolacion. However, that the new international port will not be congested remains to be seen.

For one, though there is a third bridge, traffic congestion may not be solved at all. Why? The old bridges will remain toll-free. Therefore, whether we like it or not, some stingy motorists from Cebu City down to Santander who may wish to go to the Island of Mactan will still opt to go through the old bridges and Mandaue, a major choke point.

Moreover, the cargo movers, in going to Mactan, will still pass through the foot of the first and second bridges and the Cities of Mandaue and Cebu before reaching the third bridge if they opt to use it.  Worse, port users whose main activities are situated in the southern part of Cebu will still go through the Cities of Mandaue and Cebu. Thus, in both instances, still congesting both cities.

Considering the number of daily registrations of new vehicles and the delay in the implementation of the mass transport system in the metropolis, the traffic situation will further worsen. Therefore, with this situation obtaining, the truck ban in the metropolis will surely be still in place or might even be extended for longer hours.

If extended truck ban happens, what happened in the City of Manila might happen to us.  To recall, before he could even warm his seat, the first thing Mayor Erap Estrada did was an extended truck ban in the major thoroughfares in the City of Manila. He implemented it towards the end of 2013 until the first quarter of 2014.  Sadly, it took him seven months to realize that the scheme was not working.

To recall, the port area was filled with unwithdrawn containers. Moreover, with their containers stuck at the port area, the manufacturing activities of importers and exporters alike had slowed down.  Well thought off or not, such measure pleased some but had been financially cumbersome to manufacturers (importers and exporters). The fact was, the day before it was lifted, the port was brimming with heaps of containers.

With all certainty, therefore, the same thing can happen to us here in Metro Cebu. Yes, the existing port maybe decongested but the new international port in Tayud, Consolacion will be, most likely, overflowing with unwithdrawn containers. As a result, the movement of goods (both raw materials and finished goods) will still be curtailed. Thus, production activities will be disrupted and delivery of finished products will come to a screeching halt at some point in time. Manufacturing firms that operate 24/7 will suffer the most. Obviously, therefore, Metro Cebu’s already known low productivity shall go further down.

So that, what is necessary right now is to have another international port in the southern part of Cebu. Depending on the technical feasibility, it could be situated either in Minglanilla or Naga. With this port, Cebu, as a whole, will benefit a lot.

First and foremost, having both a North Harbor (the International Port in Tayud, Consolacion) and a South Harbor (probably, Minglanilla or Naga), businessmen in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue may just relocate their factories and warehouses to far north and south of Cebu. Logically, so as the value of the lots in these cities where these structures are situated are now skyrocketing and it is so unwise to simply use them as such. Needless to say, the transfer shall also be a big boost in the countryside.

Secondly, we all know that there is an economic zone in Naga. Yes, there is, but, unfortunately, so underutilized. It is almost empty. Then, there were some locators. However, as years passed, locators transferred their factories to other countries where they are more cost-efficient and where ports are not situated deep inside the metropolis.

Thirdly, with the completion of the third bridge, a south harbor shall certainly complement it.  Obviously, trailers can use the bridge to reach Mactan Island. In the process, probably, Cordova can even develop its own economic zone. These and more, without congesting the cities of Cebu (except a portion of the South Road Properties) and Mandaue.

Certainly, therefore, a south harbor is necessary.  That’s a no-brainer.