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Posted by Lani on Tuesday, September 26th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
I just received a copy of Anara-ar, the official publication of the local government of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, from Mr. Amado Naval, a former colleague in the now defunct Ilocos Sur Historical Society and who is currently connected with the Sangguniang Bayan of Cabugao.
“Chinese are prime investors of the Salomague Port” shouts the headline of the July-August 2006 issue of the newsletter. Based on the news report, Cabugao is now preparing for the development of the port, with the SB passing “investment-friendly legislations supporting the proposed special economic zone.” The creation of the Ilocos Sur Special Economic and Freeport Zone is underway.
The seaport is now getting closer to reality and this is significant to us, Lapoguenios.
Planned to be established in Barangay Salomague and in its neighboring barangays including those of nearby San Juan town are additional piers, manufacturing industries, ecotourism structures, outdoor sports facilities, and tertiary educational institutions. Planning entities involved are the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Authority headed by Undersecretary Herminigildo Dumlao, Province of Ilocos Sur, and the Municipalities of Cabugao and San Juan.
These spell out the role that San Juan will be playing in the development of the port. According to the report, top officials from the Shenyang International Economic and Technical Cooperation have already made an ocular inspection of the port and nearby areas.
There are talks that some people (both Lapoguenios and those from other towns) have started buying lands in the barangays near Salomague, such as Dardarat and Surngit, in anticipation of the rise in real estate value in the area. Being in the adjacent town, we are certain to enjoy positive spillover effects of the seaport - more business and investment opportunities, more jobs, increased disposable income, better infrastructure facilities, and in the long term, modernization of the local economy and people’s lifestyle. But we must also be prepared for negative externalities, like pollution (since there are plans to establish manufacturing industries), garbage problem (both industrial waste products and household material wastes). It is now about time that our local legislators become more proactive in their legislative work. For instance, we would need ordinances and laws that govern waste disposal and land use.
And with the mention of ecotourism structures in the plans, preservation of the shipwreck in Lapog Bay (from Saoang to Solotsolot and Camindoroan) is now even more imperative, for it will redound to the long term benefit of the tourism industry of Lapog.
I heard this seaport development few years ago. But even before that, I was already imagining such thing will happen in the future. Salomague is one of the few natural harbors along the Ilocos Coast. During the time of Ramos Administration, importers were frantically looking for ports to unload their cargoes in the most timely manner. In due course, all the ports will be utilized if the country will eventually be industrialized. With a more developed seaport nearby, the area will benefit from cheaper delivery of goods to and from cities around the world. This will encourage farmers to improve their farms in order to increase their harvests. Cottage industry owners will also be persuaded to expand their industries. More businesses will be formed in and around the area and these will create a more dynamic and more vibrant business environment.
I envision a wider road network that is few meters away from the beach. This is similar to Pacific Coast Highway here in California which would then be called Ilocos Coast Highway. This highway will connect the different towns of Ilocos Region. This panoramic highway will boost tourism and economic activities along the highway. People from other parts of the country who have traveled in Ilocos were charmed by the beauty of the sea and the nearby mountains. The Ilocos Coast Highway will give them almost unending view of the sea and the surrounding hills and mountains. The present Ilocos highway will remain to serve for commerce and for faster driving to destinations. The Ilocos Coast Highway will be used by people who are driving for leisure and for easy access to the sea.
As the sea coasts are being developed, the inland plains, hills, and mountains will likewise be developed. Like the coasts, right now the mountains are not really being developed to their fullest potentials. Lapog, like its neighboring towns, can become a complete tourist destination with the combination of the land, sea, and mountains.
These visions of mine will still be decades from now but it will definitely be happened in the future. And with the current developments of Salomague port in the drawing board, that dream is getting closer. That is why as Lani said it is more crucial now to preserve the shipwreck for tourism attraction of our town in the near future.
1 | Alfonso S. Quilala Jr. September 27th, 2006 at 3:03 amAnd it is good to know that our representative, Salacnib F. Baterina had been laying the groundwork for all this. House Bills No. HB00892 and No. HB03954 were filed in 2004 and 2005 respectively; these bills provide for the conversion of the “provincial road which starts at poblacion San Juan along the Manila north road-Cabanglutan-Camindoroan-Junction Solot-solot-Surngit-Dardarat-boundary Salomague Port arterial road linking the municipalities of San Juan and Cabugao province of Ilocos Sur into a national road.” HB 03954 is the mother bill and was approved by the House on 2005-05-10 and transmitted to the Senate on 2005-05-17.
HB 00894 is even more interesting as it provides “for the conversion of the road starting from Tamurong, Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur through Nagtupacan-San Sebastian, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur through Nanerman-Calay-ab-Sived, Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur through Alangan-Puro-Manzante-Pagsanaan Sur-Pagsanaan Norte-Miramar, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur through San Isidro-Saoang-Cabanglutan-Camindoroan-Solot-solot -Dardarat, San Juan, Ilocos Sur through Salomague, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur into a national road and appropriating funds therefor.”
This is the bill that seeks to establish a coastal road from Sta. Catalina all the way through Salomague. It was also authored by Rep. Baterina, was approved by the House on 2005-05-10 and transmitted to the Senate on 2005-05-17.
We should all be monitoring these bills because we are all stakeholders.
2 | Lani September 27th, 2006 at 8:32 amI have three pros and cons to this sea port plan.
Cons:
*prone to crime rates (wrong dealings, fake taxes, illegal documentations, illegal immigrations, more thief, etc…..)
*poor will become poorer, and rich will become richer
*noisier area
Pros:
3 | Jane September 28th, 2006 at 6:09 am*tourist’s attractions; more people
*more money to our town (I hope if not suck-in by the government)
*educational and historical background will be remembered by all!
Wow, I was surprised that there are bills that are being advanced which will realize my vision or imagination. Thanks for sharing the information because at least now nobody will assail that I am only fantasizing when I revealed those thoughts of mine.
4 | Alfonso S. Quilala Jr. September 28th, 2006 at 8:33 amI feel bad though that those bills are long overdue by 10 to 15 years. But I can’t complain much considering that even the North diversion road which I had expected to have been extended to Ilocos region 10 to 15 years ago is still in Pampanga. That is why it is taking 9 to 10 hours to travel from Manila to Ilocos because of the traffic in Tarlac and Pangasinan.
I’ve seen some of the developments of this project. Portions of the roads have been improved…I mean literally. The bridge between Camindoroan and Solotsolot is built, though not widened. The roads from Cabanglutan to Solotsolot is fixed but beyond that I don’t know. The road from Pandayan to Cabanglutan unfortunately is still a rough road but that doesn’t stop our townmates to frequent the beach. Solotsolot beach was packed during Holy week 2007. Although I would love to see Ilocos Coast Highway as envisioned by Mr. Quilala I doubt that this will ever be built.
5 | Mae May 17th, 2007 at 3:55 am