RP-N. Sulawesi sign shipping deal

MANADO, North Sulawesi: The Philippines' government and North Sulawesi's administration have signed an agreement on shipping channels and the joint production of traditional fishing ships, known as pamboat.

Martines, the Philippines Consul General for Manado, North Sulawesi, and the province's deputy governor, Freddy H. Sualang, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the gubernatorial office in Manado on Tuesday.

Freddy said the deal on shipping channels was meant to accelerate the flow of goods shipped from the Philippines to North Sulawesi and vice versa.

"There have been ships plying the route from Bitung (Indonesia) to Gensan (the Philippines). Now that the MoU has been signed, the ships will reach Shebu and Manila (from Bitung)," Freddy explained.

Speaking about the fishing boats, Freddy said that the MoU enabled cooperation between the two administrations for production of the small wooden vessels.

"From now on people from Manado will be involved in the production of pamboats in the Philippines," he said.

Meanwhile, Martines said that he viewed the MoU as the formalization of cooperation between the two administrations.

"We need such a formal agreement before the loading and unloading of goods can be carried out by both parties," he said.

Martines said that his government fully supported the business circles who wanted to invest in Indonesia.

"In North Sulawesi alone, we (the Philippines' businessmen) have invested at least US$5 million in various businesses, including the canned fish industry," he noted. (48/sur)