By Nora Soriño
ILIGAN City ― “Is there hope for the steel mill here to reoperate? What a waste. There was an investor who came to RJ. But nothing happened.”
This was said by President Duterte although in Cebuano when he came over to this city Saturday night, Oct. 16.
The steel mill he was referring to was the National Steel Corporation. R J to note was also in the steel industry here, of Jacinto fame. He is said to be a “consultant” of the president regarding industrial matters.
Once regarded as the crown jewel not only of this city but of Mindanao and of the country as well, now NSC has become just a memory. “Some good things never last,” as a song goes. As in “Nothing lasts forever,” goes the title of a novel by Sidney Sheldon.
The President, to note came over to the city, for the oath-taking of “new” members of PDP Laban. So the “politicos” were not only from this city but in other nearby areas as well.
It didn’t help that city mayor Celso G Regencia was not around. His “favorite” apologist, Jun Lino Bacus said lamely later that the mayor suffered from “stomach ache.” (So DU30 now can cause pain in the stomach?).
The city officials then were dumbfounded by the question. And then on-air and social media the next few days, the public had some reactions on the matter, many of them violent. Especially that the LGU officials here couldn’t get their acts together in that visit of Du30 and company. And the word “banagbanag” which means “dawn” in English was remembered as the word used by Vice Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz re the prospective “reopening” of said plant. For there was now a “sure” investor! That was eons ago it seems now, as in BC ( before corona).
But then the “dawn” or “banagbanag” returned to darkness. For one prospective investor after another came and went!
What had gone wrong? To note, although the city claims “ownership” of the plant, there is another claimant ― the liquidator representing 10 banks led by PNB. The liquidation team is headed by Atty. Danilo Concepción.
In its heyday, NSC employed more than 3,000 employees They came from the city and elsewhere in the country. And also, count the downstream industries like rod and bar mill, bars, even GROs, and you know what I mean.
This administration though under CGR because of NSC’s real property tax claims of billions of pesos occupying the 400-hectare premises. Thereby “dislodging” the liquidation team inside the center of the complex. Like a tug of war, the team of Concepción had to “evacuate” posthaste because of this now “sure” owner.
There was even a flag raising there by city hall in 2017 if only to dramatize their “ownership.”
So just like that! Easy. The next step ― look for investors to reoperate the plant. Easy. Why couldn’t the previous administrations succeed in having NSC operate again?
Looking back at the “banagbanag” or “dawn” claim of this administration, I could see that they had just been a bunch of eager beavers. Now nearing the end of the team under CGR, reality must have set in. Including the reality of the answer to the simple question posed by PRRD regarding NSC.
And this time, unlike other projects which they are quick to blame “the previous administration” if something goes wrong, they can’t just do that, especially so that this “banagbanag” thing came from their own mouths!
What did they say about this particular part of the human body? “Me and my big mouth!”
(Email: norasorino2@gmail.com)
