RP-N. Sulawesi sign shipping deal

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)