2006 looks like
a better year

At the start of every year, we always indulge ourselves in forecasting how the New Year will be. How will Bacolod and Negros fare?

I am upbeat. And you can see it. It's there.

Coming to Bacolod by boat, we see SM Shoemart has started to fence the area for a very big mall at the reclamation.

I dropped by to congratulate Sammy Palanca for his vision. He told me, not just the mall, well be the work to start soon. He is putting up a number of condominiums and other high-rise buildings near the sea.

These can easily sell, I told him. No! he said. Before they are built, they are now sold. And while he expected to sell to investors from outside Bacolod, local investors have already bought them all.

You build more, I said. It will come out that way, he answered.

* * *

This just shows business people's trust in the vision of Sammy Palanca. I have been his fan as I have been the fan of visionary people who bring in business to Bacolod and Negros Occidental.

I believe media must give them the credit. True, they do that for profit powered by profit motive. But in a capitalistic world, it's the entrepreneurs who bring in progress powered by profit motive. They are the creators of wealth.

At the top of the condominium, he said, he will put up a sort of helipad where he will have a kind of a balloon, I forgot how he called it, where people can ride and see Bacolod and neighboring areas.

This is sure to attract tourists. From local people alone, it will already have a big market. Why travel to other places when you have not yet seen Bacolod?

* * *

In that short visit, Sam told me Bacolod should be developed. He sketched three streets of Rizal, Gonzaga, and Luzuriaga. Then he made another line across and said it's San Juan Street, It's the areas above San Juan Street towards the mountain that are developed, he pointed out.

From San Juan St. down, especially one kilometer of the shore areas towards Banago are not developed.

I believe in Sammy Palanca. These areas should be developed. Henry Sy of SM Shoemart is his friend. If the two can get together for the development of Bacolod...

My friend Sammy is past 80. But his head is still brimming with bright ideas. I like dreamers and he is a dreamer. And I believe these dreams are the ones that keep him healthy.

After I left I remember I should have suggested to him, somebody should write his biography. He must live for posterity. But, I know this is the least of his concern as he always emphasized he preferred to be low key.

Even if there is no book, posterity will never forget Atty. Simplicio A. Palanca. He changed the face of Bacolod.

* * *

But, Negros Occidental is tied to sugar. I am also upbeat on sugar. This depends on the two factors, price restructuring and control of smuggling. All these are within the power of the government.

If prices have improved, one reason is there is no smuggling because prices in the world market are good. Wait until this price drops and you will see smuggled sugar flooding our market.

And no smuggling can be had without the blessings from people in government, from Customs to Coast Guard to policemen.

Without smuggling the SRA can greatly influence prices that will be beneficial to both producers and consumers.

SRA can do this as it did before Christmas. Prices were low. SRA on some prodding from planters, allocated some amount for reserved that greatly reduced supply in the market.

Then when prices went up beyond the limit set, SRA withdrew the allocation and flooded the market with sugar.

Of course, James Ledesma will always be castigated as he was castigated. But, this is the hazard of his position. Planters suspect Ledesma is in cahoots with the traders when prices are low as traders who rake in the profits have never been known to be tightwads.

When prices are high, consumers suspect Ledesma to be in cahoots with the planters but I don't believe that. Planters are so fragmented and so individualistic they can never grease palms.

Ledesma must just do what is right. Those who ask for his head, one of them is my other friend Manolet Lamata may have plausible reasons. But who will replace Ledesma?

* * *

The focus must be on smuggling. Some years back when my friend George Jereos was Customs Collector, I facilitated a dinner appointment in Manila with him and the top honchos of Confed, Federation, Unifed, Panayfed, and the sugar millers association working out on curbing sugar smuggling. It's easy to arrange dinners when everybody is a friend. I think it worked well but Jereos, a very good Customs Commissioner retired some months after that.

We do not have to worry with production. The best fertilizer to bring in a good crop is a good price.

* * *

Note: I got this e-mail from a friend, Robert Harland. Four big events happened in 1981: Prince Charles got married, Liverpool was crowned Europe's soccer champion, Australia lost the Ashes tournament, and the Pope died.

The same four big events happened in 2005: Princes Charles got married, Liverpool was crowned Europe's soccer champion, Australia lost the Ashes tournament, and the Pope died.

In the future if Prince Charles remarries, the Pope has something to worry about.*

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