Ang Pahayagan

Who is the fairest of them all?

Old age has taken a serious toll over me as it has slowed down my physical movement, aggravated by intense heat. Sidelining me to limit my movements outside the houses for almost two months.

But my limited public appearance, I am sought to comment as the oldest journalist covering the country’s pioneer Freeport and economic –industrial government managed estate on who among the previous Malacanang SBMA chairman-administrator “is the best among the crop?”

Without biting an eyelash, I honestly believe that among all administrators—Dick Gordon, Tong Payumo, Philip Salonga, Freddie Antonio, Kakiok Licuanan, Areza, Bobby Garcia, Wilma Eisma, Rolen Paulino Sr., Jonathan Tan and the incumbent Ed Alino, my instant reply would be, Its Bobby Garcia, hands down.

Why Bobby Garcia? Bobby is credited for saving the government agency from continuous income shortage, as his team did focus on the financial standing of the agency and creating long term solutions to the logistic and maritime importance of the Port of Subic. Aside from fixing the financial situation, Bobby succeeded in inviting cargo movers to make use of the twin Container terminals operated by the Razon group.

To achieve these fetes, he together with Boj Locsin, president of the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., (SBITC) conducted town hall meetings with importers and exporters of in both Central and Northern Luzon to make use of the modern cargo handling facilities at Subic Bay.

As task Force composed of SBMA, SBITC and BOC did the campaign. Now Subic is bustling with activities.

Aside from improving the financial system of SBMA, Bobby’s team also paid the foreign loans of the agency with the World Bank.

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What’s up at Aduana—what’s this, we heard over our Aduana monitoring group that there is a new monetary collection scheme is about to be implemented whereby truckers operating at the Manila’s ports will be levied an additional levies amounting to P15,000 per truck, a 200 percent increase from the present fee of P5,000. While Malacanang is carrying out an anti-corruption campaign, over at the BOC, it’s a deadma as the trio whispered involved as identified by are boys under the protection of a deputy commissioner. Hope Aduana makes a move to break the money making moves.