Monday, July 21, 2008 Mayor proposes Tahuna-Glan trade hub
GLAN, Sarangani -- Mayor Enrique Yap Jr. disclosed recently he is negotiating with the Indonesian consulate general to transfer the Tahuna-Davao trading point to Tahuna-Glan.
Now that the P18 million rehabilitation of Glan limited international port is done, Yap said the proposed trading point is more accessible.
Yap, who made the remarks in his State of the Municipality's Address last July 15, said "this (Tahuna-Glan) will be the entry and exit point" of ships from Indonesia.
The mayor said that representatives of different agencies and authorities have already agreed with his proposal.
Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, Security (CIQS) services activated in 2006 to support the then proposed Glan-Tahuna shipping route will have its own office in Glan.
Yap also said the CIQS office would accommodate those coming from Indonesia and legalize trading with them.
He said the Indonesian consulate general has agreed to inform its foreign affairs department for support to this agenda.
"With this, we can create new jobs and business for the people of Glan," Yap said.
Glan, with its neighboring municipalities Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani, formed an economic cluster in 2004 to foster economic relations within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga).
The cluster called Jags-CT (Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle) forged in 2006 a sisterhood agreement with Sangihe Regency of Indonesia to promote better partnership and cooperation.
The Jags-CT, Yap said, has bridged Jags (Jose Abad Santos, Glan, and Sarangani) municipalities with Indonesia through exchange visits of officials between the two regions. (SIO)
