MOTC-BARMM minister resolves Tawi-Tawi port leadership row

COTABATO CITY -- Using a diplomatic yet tough stance, the head of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOTC-BARMM) resolved on Friday the leadership mix-up at the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) office in Tawi-Tawi. 

“The confusion of leadership in this office has to stop,” MOTC Minister Dickson Hermoso told MARINA officials in a meeting that resolved more than three years of confusion as to who is the real chief of MARINA-Tawi-Tawi.

“No one assumes office without any proper legal authority that comes from the BARMM interim chief minister himself and without my concurrence as the minister of transportation and communications,” he said. 

Hermoso, a former military general and a known peace advocate, first conducted an ocular inspection and stepped into the MARINA office in Bongao. 

Alonto Sahiron, MARINA-BARMM officer-in-charge, said Hermoso resolved what previous regional officials had failed to address. 

“This ocular visit of Minister Hermoso has settled once and for all the issues on bogus personnel pretending to be employees who are not connected with MARINA-BARMM,” Sahiron said. 

He said others also claim to be employees of other agencies, but records show otherwise, affecting the operation of MARINA. 

“Boat owners are confused (from) whom to get the real permit to operate,” Sahiron said, adding that all types of sea vessels, regardless of tonnage, are obliged to register and be recognized by MARINA-BARMM. 

“All motor vessels must be registered with MARINA, may they be small wooden banca(s), medium-size or large passenger and cargo container ships,” he said. 

Hermoso said MARINA and the Regional Ports Management Authority (RPMA) - BARMM should work closely to monitor every sea vessel plying and docking along the seas and rivers within the BARMM area of responsibility. 

Gary Abbas, regional officer-in-charge of RPMA, said the region has no major problem other than congestion in seaports. 

“This is due to the improved economic activities in the BARMM that more sea vessels are coming over regional ports,” he said. 

Abbas reported to Hermoso that the Bongao (Tawi-Tawi) and Jolo ports are under renovation to be able to handle bigger ships to make it as an international hub. 

“Soon these ports will be able to accommodate international cargos and passenger ships from neighboring Asian countries, like Indonesia, Malaysia, Sabah, and Brunei,” he said. (PNA)

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