Punchline
Insidious
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
THE continued suspension of the operation of the Seafood Processing Plant brought to sharper focus not only the discriminatory application and enforcement of ordinances in Dagupan City by the Lim administration but a conspiracy to harass “enemies” of the city hall, in short, Mayor Benjie Lim.
From the onset, I never believed in the long-term viability of the Seafood Processing Plant because it was touted it would be run initially by the city government, then by government bureaucrats, not by legit hardnosed businessmen who know and understand what global market and competition is all about. As a government operation, it is susceptible not only to graft and corruption but vulnerable as well to political machinations. The continued suspension of the plant’s operations validates my view.
The unilateral decision of the Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources to shut down the plant’s operation ostensibly owing simply to a “report” on the plant’s failure to secure a business permit is suspect and most unusual especially that it is the city government that owns it. A case in point is how the Daongan ed Dawel facility continues to be allowed to operate illegally without a building and a business permit simply because it is a pet project of Mayor Benjie Lim. It is not even officially a city government project because the city never spent a centavo for it and neither has it received a deed of donation. For all intents and purposes, therefore, that facility is an illegal structure and is operating illegally but no “shut down” orders.
But why is the Daongan allowed to operate yet the seafood plant, officially owned by the city government, is told to cease operation all because it doesn’t have a business permit even while on test run operations? What is happening to the Daongan (and yes the “kangkungan”) ed Dawel” on one hand and the seafood plant on the other is one for the Ripley’s and “Only in Dagupan. “
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Even assuming that the plant is not owned by the city and is not operated by a national agency, such a situation could not possibly happen in our world of endless pakiusap, pagbigyan and utang na loob particularly when the issue at hand is not injurious to any person or property. Such a deficiency is usually easily discussed (among government agencies) and negotiated (between government and business groups).
So under normal circumstances, one would have simply expected BFAR to appeal to the city government to allow it reasonable time to comply, perhaps a week to file the application while test runs continue. (Curiously, that the plant never received a formal notice of a shutdown from the city hall “if no permit can be secured within 7 days”). Such an appeal from a national government agency would have easily earned an extension for 60 days over a free breakfast in Dagupena, and nobody, not even my 2 moles inside city hall, could have possibly noticed the “arrangement”.
But for reasons known only to Atty. Benjamin Tabios Jr. (the BFAR OIC-Director in Manila who issued the order) and his boss BFAR Director Asis Perez (who met earlier with Mayor Lim), the order was to shut down operations immediately instead of simply sending a legal team to help Dr. Westly Rosario, plant manager, prepare the legal papers needed for the application. Either Mr. Tabios lived in Kenya all his life not to know how things can be worked out with local government units here or he blindly followed Mr. Perez’s most unusual directive in keeping with his tacit support for Mr. Lim’s plot to fast-track the transfer of management from BFAR to Lim’s administration by sheer contingency. Indications are Mr. Tabios was the blind follower of an order inimical to the interests of the city.
Historically, such a unilateral preemptive decision can only be possible with the Catholic Bishops Conference, not BFAR. Recall how the bishops returned the PCSO donated vehicles without being asked.
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It will be recalled that soon after Mr. Perez and Mr. Lim met in Dagupan two months ago, Mr. Perez began insinuating the need to evaluate the capabilities of its team to manage the plant. Back then, I already sensed a plot had been hatched to pave the way for the transfer of the plant’s management to Mr. Lim and true enough, the unilateral suspension came.
While it is the prerogative of the BFAR to suspend its operations, it can only do so with the knowledge (and consent) of the city government as the owner. And as mayor and steward of the city’s properties, Mr. Lim should have been the first to criticize, if not vehemently oppose BFAR’s decision since such an administrative deficiency could easily be remedied. Shutting the plant down at anytime has serious implications on livelihood of families that depended on the plant, so it behooved upon a mayor to look after their interests.
“No, don’t stop the operations, continue and we will help work out the necessary permits,” should have been his correct political response. But no, Mr. Lim was eerily silent. Obviously, it was his cue that the plot was underway and it was his part to remain passive, never mind if families that earn from the plant’s operations go hungry for weeks or months, or if the plant’s marketing operations would be hampered, or its future seriously risked.
Evidently, the decision to suspend operations was done to protect Mr. Lim who cannot be seen as the vengeful mayor who wants the plant by hook or by crook. So today, even without need for demand, he now conveniently expects the local BFAR team to follow Manila’s orders while giving City Administrator Vlad Mata strict orders to see to it that the plant’s applications conform strictly to the rules, and to the letter. I surmise that the plot is to delay the issuance of the permit so the plant will appear as a white elephant in the hands of a perceived incompetent BFAR team, leaving Mr. Lim as the only competent manager to run the plant. So, I will not be surprised if Mr. Mata decides to demand that all forms of permits prove BFAR is qualified to run the plant and still will reserve the right to question the veracity of the information cited in the individual applications before the business permit will be issued.
‘Tis another insidious plot against the people’s interests by their mayor.
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Yet there is something that Mr. Lim can do for the city and end up the hero, not a heel.
Instead of asking the city council to grant him authority to negotiate the sale of the MC Adore property, he should send a proposal to the city council forthwith to lease the seafood plant since he thinks only he can run it profitably. A P10M annual lease by him assures the city of a reasonable return while he makes his own profits. Dagupenos will also be assured of a steady source of income and fish farmers are afforded opportunities to become competitive in the global market. Everyone wins.
I believe this is what his “enterprise development project” concept is really all about. Go-go-go Mr. Lim…submit a lease proposal and stop sabotaging BFAR at the expense of the city.
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MORE CYCLING GREATS. My item last week on the unheralded hometown heroes, the province’s mighty cycling champs, seems to have made many readers recall names of their favorite riders whom I did include in the list. Actually, I ventured to name only the local cyclists who took national titles in major tours… and that list should have included Jacinto Sicam of San Manuel whom I inadvertently missed out. Sicam, as PUNCH columnist Jess Garcia reminded me, is the only back-to-back champ from Pangasinan.
But the readers are right…let us recall the other cycling greats who did not win the crowns but nonetheless gave Pangasinenses reasons to cheer for Pangasinan each time. Recall the likes of Ignacio Jacinto of Laoac, Teofilo Cuison of Dagupan City, Edmundo de Guzman of Lingayen, Virgilio Delin of Manaoag, Cesar Catambay and Ruben Carino of Mangaldan, Tranquilino de Vera of Tayug, Fermin Zabala of Bautista, Gonzalo Espiritu of San Manuel, Arnel Querimit of Pozorrubio and Baler Ravina of Asingan. (Reader Mario Panoringan wants to add Elpidio Camat of Laoac).
I also wish to amend my suggestion to Guv Spines and PHCC Commissioner Gonz Duque. A photo exhibit at the Capitol grounds of the road battles where our local heroes took major honors for Pangasinan would be appropriate enough to honor our unheralded cyclists and thrill cycling fans endlessly!
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