Multimillion peso feeder port to boost agri sector

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that the multimillion-peso feeder port in Sagay City will provide the needed push to improve production, optimize income capacity, and mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on the agricultural sector.

Lacson thanked the Department of Agriculture, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) and World Bank for the project.

After almost five years of groundwork and construction, the P153.5-million Sagay Feeder Port in Brgy. Old Sagay was finally turned over to the Sagay City local government.

The Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas through the PRDP and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental led the blessing and turnover of the 280-meter Sagay Feeder Port/Fish Landing on Wednesday.

The project, which was funded by the World Bank, started its paperwork in October 2016 and the official construction kicked off December 2017, the Sagay City information office said.

The timeline of the construction was extended because of the pandemic until the official turnover on Wednesday.

Lacson also recognized the efforts of both former governors, Joseph and Alfredo Marañon, Jr., who started this initiative during their terms as city and provincial heads.

PRDP Deputy Director for Western Visayas Jose Albert Barrogo also said that as they unveil the feeder port, it will open more opportunities for shipping not just passengers but also exporting goods of Sagay to other places in the country and will further increase its market value.

He added the project is expected to benefit at least 22,000 farmers and fisherfolk, as well as the nearby towns and cities in North Negros.

The project has a total cost of P153,516,648.30 with 80 percent of the funding coming from the World Bank, while 10 percent from the Department of Agriculture, and another 10 percent from the Provincial Government.

DA-Western Visayas Director Remelyn Recoter also said that this is one of the big-ticket projects in the region and more projects are yet to be turned over like farm-to-market roads, bridges, livelihood enterprises, among others, in the province.

Second District Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva, in his message delivered by Sagay City Councilor Rodnel Delos Reyes, said he is grateful to DA-6 and the province for facilitating to realize the project, adding “this has been a dream of Sagay Mayors turned Governors Mayor Joseph and Alfredo Marañon.”

Cueva also said that as the feeder port will give more access to other ports in the country, the export of agricultural and marine products from Sagay and nearby towns and cities will be more possible.

The Sagay Feeder Port also has direct access to Batangas Port (265 nautical miles), Estancia Port of Iloilo (36 NM), Bantayan Cebu Port (26.5 NM), Tabuelan Port in Cebu (27.8 NM), Estancia Port in Iloilo (36 NM), Cebu International Port (132 NM), Bredco Port of Bacolod (57.5 NM), and Cadiz International Port (9.2 NM).

Sagay City is also the home of the 180-hectare Northern Negros Agro-Industrial Export Processing Zone, and it is vital to have a nearer port to have easier export of products, he explained.

The eco-zone is 11-kilometers away from the Sagay Feeder Port.

“Access to the port is very vital to create an economic zone. Once we have our locators in our eco-zone, we can generate more employment and business opportunities,” Cueva said.

During the program, Mayor Alfredo Marañon III accepted the key of responsibility to maintain the operations of the feeder port, together with Vice Mayor Narciso Javelosa, Jr., and the Sagay City Councilors.

In his speech, the mayor expressed his gratitude to the lead offices to finish this 5-year project.

Marañon said that there are more things that should be done to improve the feeder port and asked the help of the provincial government and DA-6 to realize these endeavors. Lacson and Recoter also gave their nod of approval to the mayor to pursue projects related to improving the agricultural sector of Sagay.

Also present in the event are PRDP Official Moises Manahay, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Acting Cheif Dina Genzola, Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit Head Narissa Lemoncito, Sagay Councilors Arthur Christopher Marañon, Perfecto Marañon, Miller Serondo, Ching Javellana, and Roldan Gamao, City Economic Enterprise and Management Office Head Ryan Bonghanoy, City Engineer Jezreel Alingco, City Agriculturist Julie Delima, and personnel from the Province of Negros Occidental, DA-Western Visayas and PRDP.

The governor also reminded that as this port will create new opportunities, Sagaynons should continue to practice responsible fishing and farming.

“Let us meet our present needs without jeopardizing the ability of the next generation to meet their own,” he said.