A full page ad has been published in the Inquirer by alleged members of shipping industry associations purporting to be an open letter to GMA beseeching her to lift the suspension on Sulpicio Lines’ operations.
In convoluted and overwrought language, the signatories to the “Appeal to the President” calls the halting of the shipping company’s lethal business a “knee-jerk reaction by the concerned authorities” bowing to popular pressure, “rather than a prudent and rational response”.
The suspension of operations of all Sulpicio Lines, Inc. passenger/cargo ferry vessels may have seemed to suppress this monumental grief, but consequently it is taking its toll on the industry, affecting not only the cargo and passenger sectors but also the other shipping operators in the inter-island transport chain. The emerging negative impact of the suspension of operations of a major maritime industry organization is now presenting an economic backfire on our numerous medium to smaller shipping companies serving the inter-island feeder routes. It is more than likely that this backlog will multiply and affect the national economy as the suspension continues with no clear direction in sight.
The open letter also raises alarms over the possibility that the company will be taken over by the government.
To be sure, the signatories (just names of companies, no person dared affix an actual signature to the letter) are comprised of smaller enterprises which probably do a lot of business with Sulpicio and doesn’t include the big shipping companies like WG & A or Negros Navigation.
The whole thing looks like another effort on the part of the beleaguered shipping firm to divert public focus away from the central issue in this whole sad mess, which is Sulpicio’s liability for the deaths of thousands over the years. It conveniently ignores the bald fact that according to Lloyd’s , Sulpicio ships have been involved in 45 accidents since 1980, including seven sinkings. If their ships didn’t sink, they run aground, caught fire or simply went dead in the water.
In all of this, Sulpicio has simply refused to own up to any accountability, blaming God, PAG-ASA, the Coast Guard, the government in general and the public at large for its woes. It has cynically and shamelessly abused judicial processes, filing lawsuits right and left to preempt what it correctly foresees as a torrent of cases. It has been pulling strings, effectively it seems, to prevent any public inquiry into its dismal record. Already, Congress has backpedaled on its initial intention to include in the scope of its investigation the company’s scandalous record of sea mishaps over the past 28 years. Instead, the congressional inquiry would now deal only with the June 21 sinking of the Princess of the Stars.
And now it’s on a media campaign to pressure government authorities to allow it to proceed with its business as usual. There’s even the disingenuous argument that it should be let off the hook since it allegedly handles about 40 percent of our domestic sea cargo. As if this gives it a license to kill.
Indeed, if true, then the fact that it controlled a sizable chunk of inter-island shipping should be taken against it. Despite having made tons of money over the years, it has never cared enough for its customers to take their safety and well-being into consideration.
Granting that there might be some economic dislocation in the short-term, this will not last. The beauty of our so-called free enterprise system is that another player will quickly and quite naturally rush in to fill the void. As I said in an earlier post, the permanent sinking of Sulpicio will actually benefit the industry. Its serves notice to all stakeholders that no longer will unsafe and greedy practices be tolerated. This will force all shipping firms with sub-standard ships, equipment and facilities to either upgrade or follow Sulpicio (hopefully) into the bottom of the sea.
The entire shipping industry, from the small operators to the big fleets, should realize that it is not to their benefit to tolerate or worse, be identified with, a wayward element like Sulpicio. The sooner they cut it adrift, the quicker the whole sector can move forward.
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@Butch, I just can’t believe this company, it’s just too much to bear. They have been responsible for the lives of so many Filipinos, and yet they point the fingers at everyone else except themselves.
They throw money at the faces of the families of the victims, and yet they make it hard for the families to avail of such measly amounts (P200k only??)
And now, they take out a full page ad, not to grieve for the families, or to show their sympathy, or to apologize, but to be selfish and yet again go on the attack.
JUST DESPICABLE.
Sulpicio….perwisio noon, perwisio hanggang ngayon!! Sa dami nang namatay involving this company, isakay kaya ang mga may-ari sa mga barko nito at palubugin sa gitna ng dagat.
Buhay ang inutang, buhay din dapat ang kapalit!
[...] These past few weeks we’ve read and heard about how Sulpicio has tried to squirm out of responsibility. [...]
“It has been pulling strings, effectively it seems, to prevent any public inquiry into its dismal record.”
What else is new? Accountability? In the Philippines? Only for the poor or the lowly.