GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 15 July) – The Port of General Santos, also called the Makar Port, will start “resuming at full capacity operations by next year” to pave the way for the entry of more investments in Soccsksargen Region, South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said.
During his State of the Province Address last week, Tamayo said that prospective big-ticket investors in the province have been turned off because they could not utilize the Makar Port as the gateway to the area due to its lack of facilities.
Prospective investors complained of high logistical costs since their raw materials will have to pass through the Davao Port since the Makar Port is operating below its capacity, he said.
Likewise, products from the province are being brought to the Davao Port for shipment to other places because of such inadequacy, he added.
Tamayo said the Provincial Development Council of South Cotabato had submitted a resolution to the Regional Development Council (RDC) – Soccsksargen seeking the full operation of the Makar Port as soon as possible.
He noted the RDC-Soccsksargen and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) recognized the need to maximize the operations of the Makar Port.
“Ngayong taon o sa susunod na taon magkakaroon na ng full operation ang nasabing port (This year or next year, the said port will begin full operation),” Tamayo said.
The RDC-Soccsksargen, chaired by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, has been pushing for the development of facilities needed to maximize the operation of the Makar Port, noting its current capacity is driving investment opportunities away from the region.
“Time is of the essence. We cannot just wait and see. We have already lost a lot of opportunities in the past, and we cannot afford to lose more,” Mendoza said in a statement.
She said that key players of the agri-fishery industry in Soccsksargen have been cancelling port calls at the Makar Port due to lack of facilities that would service gearless vessels.
Mendoza said they have consulted key players in agri-fisheries and the shipping industry, where they voiced out the urgent need to develop the Makar Port to cater to the stakeholders’ needs, and at the same time, regain the lost opportunities of the port and be on par with the other international ports in the country.
The Port of General Santos serves as the primary gateway for agriculture and marine products being shipped from the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani to the domestic and international markets.
But in order to maximize the port’s potential and boost its economic competitiveness, major investments in its facilities and equipment, such as quay gantry cranes and gearless service carriers, are needed, RDC-Soccsksargen said.
In September 2021, the Makar Port unveiled its state-of-the-art P62.8 million Port Operations Building, which houses its Port Integrated Clearance Office, a one-stop-shop for all PPA transactions like marine and terminal services, berthing, public assistance and complaints, assessment and collection services, among others.
The Makar Port used to serve domestic passenger routes for Zamboanga, Iloilo and Manila, and vice versa, but ceased in 2008 due to lack of passengers with the availability of regular flights.
During a special meeting in Manila in November 2022, Jay Daniel Santiago, PPA general manager, gave a commitment that the agency will prioritize the development of Makar Port, in response to the concerns raised by key officials in Soccsksargen Region. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
