By Beverly C. Paoyon

Glan, Sarangani (18 July) -- Glan Mayor Enrique Yap Jr. has disclosed he is negotiating with the Indonesian consulate general to transfer the Tahuna-Davao trading point to Tahuna–Glan.

Now that the P18 million rehabilitation of Glan limited international port was done, Yap said the proposed trading point is more accessible.

"Indonesia is much nearer to Glan," Yap said.

Yap, who made the remarks in his State of the Municipality's Address on Tuesday (July 15), said "this (Tahuna-Glan) will be the entry and exit point" of ships from Indonesia.

His proposal has already been agreed with by representatives of different Philippine agencies and authorities, the mayor stressed.

Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, Security (CIQS) services activated in 2006 to support the then proposed Glan-Tahuna shipping route will have its own office in Glan.

The mayor said the CIQS office would accommodate those coming from Indonesia and to legalize the trading with them.

According to Yap the Indonesian consulate general has agreed to inform its foreign affairs department for support to this agenda.

"With this, we can create new jobs and business for the people of Glan," Yap said.

Glan, with its neighboring municipalities Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani formed an economic cluster in 2004 to foster economic relations within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

The cluster called JAGS-CT (Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle) forged in 2006 a sisterhood agreement with Sangihe Regency of Indonesia to promote better partnership and cooperation.