Majority bloc also blocks Tri-City Ferry System
PLANS to pursue the establishment of a Tri-City Ferry System (TCFS) that seeks to revive a sea-based transport connecting the cities of Alaminos, Dagupan and San Fernando suffered a snag because the Dagupan City government has not complied with the requirement to adopt and submit a resolution asking the Department of Transportation to act as the implementing agency of the project on a strictly Public-Private Partnership venture.
This was learned during the meeting of the Local Development Council when Architect Emmanuel Palaganas, a member of the technical working group that conducted preliminary studies on the project, informed the council about the non-compliance from the city council.
He said theproposed letter on April 10, 2023 to be signed by Mayors Arth Bryan Celeste of Alaminos City, Hermenegildo Gualberto of San Fernando and Belen Fernandez of Dagupan City addressed to Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista thru DOTr Undersecretary Timothy Batan, in charge of planning and project development, was to be sent with the respective resolutions of the three cities attached.
The adoption of the Draft Resolution No. R-6287, filed jointly by Councilors Michael Fernandez, Jeslito Seen, Dennis, Canto and Joshua Bugayon, still remained unacted at the level of the committee on transportation headed by Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia.
The letter was never sent because only Dagupan could not submit its own SP resolution.
Palaganas said both Alaminos and San Fernando cities already submitted their respective resolutions after Mayor Fernandez met several times with her counterpart city mayors together with members of the technical working group and discussed the requirements for the TCFS .
The three cities, through the Assistance of the Public-Private Partnership Center (PPPC), entered into a Technical Assistance Agreement with the City Development Initiatives for Asia for the provision of development support for a project preparation study.
Officials of PPPC sought to join the SP December 19 session via Zoom to appeal for the immediate passage of the required measure, but the meeting had to be adjourned because there was no quorum . (Leonardo Micua)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
