Jose Ceralde
14 Jan 2008

 

 

Mr. Chip,

The issue of the ferry service is not of technical expertise but making the choices and calculated safety risk for the riding public balanced with the financial risk.

The track record of politically initiated projects had been riddled with corruption that overrides the technical and financial viability that is the concern. We all have read the laundry list of SP editor and I do not have to repeat it again.

The Philippines have the expertise to operate, design and build monohaul to twin haul catamarans and even the big super structure at Subic. Daily we read new foreign shipbuilders wanting to build ships and boats in the Philippines; the latest was Hanjin who wants to open one in the south. They come to the Philippine because of our maritime environment, expertise and cheap labor.

A Filipino Company, Aboitiz Group used to buy super ferries from abroad but now design and build them in the Philippines. The boats or ships they build are certified to maritime international codes and they operate their fleet from Batangas to as far south as Zamboanga. I am sure with millions at stake they have a risk assessment team and even a mitigation team even when one sinks because of poor weather.

Besides this company we have super ferry that operates from Mariveles Bataan to Manila with hydrofoil or hovercraft. Since these companies already have the expertise and know-how, the technical team should invite them to our tri-cities for a master plan, unless the project had already been divvy up by our local politicians. We should take this technical team they put together fully accountable for the risk they forwarded to the decision makers- the three mayors.

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