DAVAO CITY – The national government was urged to transfer the ownership of the dilapidated Santa Ana Port to the city government of Davao which plans to establish a Marina Development and Commercial Complex that will position the facility as a center point of this city’s tourism development.
Third district Councilor Bernard Al-ag, chairman of the City Council Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Industry, said that the city government is constrained to develop the port because it is currently owned by the Philippine Port Authority (PPA).
Al-ag said that the contract with PPA granting the city government the authority to use the port would expire next year.
Once the contract expires, he said this city may be compelled to turn the port over to the PPA but added that it is willing to develop the port if the ownership will be transferred to the city government.
He said that immediate interventions are needed to restore the port and save it from its current state. The city government noted some areas are already sinking.
“It you look at the Santa Ana Port, the development is really slow,” he said.
Al-ag added that plans for the port have to take a backseat for now as the city government does not want to invest in its redevelopment because it does not own the property.
He said that prominent Filipino architect Felino Palafox Jr. identified the port as a center point in the tourism development plan of the city government.
Al-ag said that they are looking at putting up a Marina Development and Commercial Complex in the port.
“If you have seen the tourism development plan of Palafox, one of the center points of public tourism is the Santa Ana Port. You can establish a marina for small boats, passenger boats, and leisure boats like yachts going to Davao Gulf and around Samal Island,” he said.
Al-ag said the city government would try to convince the national government to give it the ownership of the port to realize its vision of transforming it into a commercial complex.