Gullas eyes Talisay fish port as cruise dock

TALISAY City Mayor Eduardo Gullas wants to review certain contracts signed by his predecessor, including a 25-year agreement to develop the City’s fish port into a roll on, roll off port.

Gullas said he will ask the City Legal Office to review the contract between the City Government and the Asian Maritime Transport Corp. (AMTC) to develop the old Talisay City Fish Port.

The fish port, which has been idle since it was constructed in 2005, will be developed by AMTC into a ro-ro port after firm president Paul Rodriguez signed a 25-year lease agreement with Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes last year.

Based on the agreement, the shipping firm will pay the City a monthly rent of P800,000. During the signing of the agreement, Rodriguez made a down payment of P9.6 million.

But plans to develop the port were put on hold after the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) questioned the contract, claiming that they own the Talisay City Fish Port.

Gullas would not say yet if he is planning to rescind the contract.

He said he will meet with officials of CPA regarding the plan to develop the port.

Aside from the fish port lease contract, Gullas also wants other contracts entered into by delos Reyes to be reviewed.

Gullas said he has other plans for the port. He wants to develop it into a docking area for international cruise ships.

Members of Gullas’ transition team earlier found out that the previous administration initiated infrastructure projects whose contractors have reportedly finished only 30 percent of the work but with 70 percent of the work already paid for.