Outgoing Consul thanks Sarangani for Indons' "harmonious life"

GLAN, Sarangani (June 25, 2007) – Outgoing Davao City-based Indonesian Consul Ikon Mochamad Entjeng has expressed gratitude to Sarangani officials for the "harmonious life" of Indonesian nationals in the province.

"I am very lucky my job is finished and (there had been) no problem," Entjeng told local officials and businessmen who tendered a luncheon tribute for him Friday.

Glan hosts a village of Indonesian nationals and native-born Indonesians in sitio Pagang, barangay Baliton, with an immigration office at the municipal hall.

Entjeng, who retires on June 30, presented certificates of appreciation to Governor Migs Dominguez and Mayor Enrique Yap Jr. "in grateful recognition" of their "cooperation and support to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia which largely contributed to the harmonious life of the Indonesian nationals in Sarangani Province."

The tribute was attended by Indonesian Consul for Immigration Frans Richard Sugiyanto, Consul for Economics Antonious Bali and officers of Glan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

As he bade farewell, Entjeng, 59, said that after his three years and three months stay in Mindanao, he would report to his superiors in Jakarta "to salute Filipinos here."

"Thank you very much for Filipinos here, governor and mayor, (for efforts) to protect my people," the consul said.

Entjeng, a former army officer, would be replaced by Lalu Malic, a civilian diplomat from Jakarta.

Entjeng conveyed his hopes for the success of the Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle (JAGS-CT) in the coming years.

JAGS-CT is a cluster of southern Philippines towns formed in 2003 in support to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani towns belong to Davao del Sur, while Glan is Sarangani province's oldest town and port.

JAGS-CT aims to increase trade, tourism and investments by enhancing cross-border linkages with the northern provinces of Indonesia.

In November, JAGS-CT mayors and officials from Indonesia's Sangihe Regency signed a sisterhood agreement "to promote favorable relations of partnership and cooperation."

The Regency of Sangihe is part of North Sulawesi Province. It lies between the islands of Sulawesi and Mindanao.

The Sangihe and JAGS-CT sisterhood came in the wake of a trade mission led by Governor Dominguez to North Sulawesi in September.

Fields of cooperation are education, socio-cultural development, tourism promotion, fisheries and maritime resources development, trade and commerce.

Mayor Yap commended Entjeng's efforts towards fostering closer cooperation between the two nations while Governor Dominguez saw improving ties with Indonesia thru JAGS-CT.

Yap said JAGS-CT was only halfway in its plans and objectives but he stressed his desire to make JAGS-CT a growth area that would become the next Subic in the Philippines.

Dominguez described Yap's leadership of JAGS-CT as the legacy of bringing Indonesia closer to the Philippines that would benefit future generations.

Entjeng lauded Sarangani officials and businessmen for their commitment to accelerate economic development in the BIMP EAGA region.

With Entjeng as Indonesian consul, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration declared the Port of Glan in 2006 as a limited port of entry to boost cross-border trade, tourism and investments between JAGS-CT and the northern provinces of Indonesia prior to the establishment of a direct shipping linkage between Glan and Tahuna/Bitung (Indonesia).

The opening of Glan-Tahuna-Bitung shipping services has realized one of the many flagship projects of the BIMP-EAGA, a project overseen by Consul General Entjeng.

In December 2005, an inter-agency Customs Immigration Quarantine Service (CIQS) was set up in Glan, setting in motion cross-border trade.

In November 2005, the Philippine Navy activated a naval detachment here for maritime security. The Glan detachment, which is part of the naval forces in eastern Mindanao based in Davao City, would also watch over maritime vessels passing to and from Makar Wharf in nearby General Santos City.

The naval detachment backs up the naval coast watch station at Tinaka Point in Glan. The naval facility at Tinaka Point in Barangay Batulaki has a modern radar system. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/BCP)