BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The permit to operate of the Sum-ag Floating Restaurant, which is the project of the City of Bacolod, is presently being worked out by the contractor Stoneworks Specialist Int’l. Corp. with the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) in Manila, John Orola, Bacolod City consultant on Trade, Tourism and Investment, said.
As soon as Certificate of Ownership and Certificate of Philippine Registry is completed including the bay and river clearance it could be officially turned over to the City of Bacolod, he said.
Orola said the account officer of the contractor Stoneworks Specialist Int’l. Corp. informed him through a message dated September 28, that the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is scheduled to release the necessary documents such as the Certificate of Ownership and Certificate of Philippine Registry (CO-CPR) this week for the Floating Restaurant in Sum-ag River.
He said he has reported this matter to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and to Sum-ag Brgy. Captain Rodney Carmona.
Orola is proposing the conversion of the floating restaurant into a livelihood floating center/boat in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) with the purpose to train fisher folks in barangays surrounding Brgy. Sum-ag for any project that can provide employment, livelihood and business to the marginalized sector in the area.
It is required that all ships/boats of domestic ownership plying the Philippine waters, regardless of size and utilization must be properly registered and issued a Certificate of Philippine Registry (CPR) and Certificate of Ownership (CO). Ships such as PWC, WIG, amphibian, submarine, hydrofoil, hovercraft, floating restaurants, tandem push boat and mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) should be registered and issued CPR and CO.
As soon as the project is turned over to the City of Bacolod, it’s all systems go for its operation, Orola added.*
