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The Department of Transportation is eyeing to complete another 200 seaports worth a total of P12.5 billion until 2028
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The ports have small capacities catering to roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) and fishing vessels
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The 200 ports are in addition to the 402 others already implemented from 2015 to the present, around 250 of which have been completed
The Department of Transportation is eyeing to complete another 200 seaports worth a total of P12.5 billion until 2028 to boost connectivity of remote islands, according to Transportation Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Sarmiento on Wednesday at the sidelines of the Philippine Ports and Logistics Conference 2024 on March 20.
The ports have small capacities catering to roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) and fishing vessels. Government is seeking funding from the Department of Budget and Management for the projects, each of which would require P20 million to P80 million to build.
“We call it social tourism and farm-to-market ports … We would like to connect these remote islands to bigger island economies for their economic growth,” Sarmiento said.
One of the port locations eyed is Turtle Islands, a municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, he noted.
The 200 ports are in addition to the 402 ports projects already implemented from 2015 to the present, around 250 of which have been completed. The country currently has about 2,000 seaports.
READ: DOTr eyes P1.4B funding for 14 roro ports in 2025
Sarmiento, who keynoted the ports conference at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, unveiled key milestones and opportunities for the country’s ports and logistics sector even as he underscored efforts by the department to “bridge maritime gaps and hasten economic activities”.
Some of the maritime projects he cited include farm-to-market ports; updated Ten-Year Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028; and use of digital and electronic technologies to promote efficiency.
In addition, he noted the joint implementation of the Offshore Wind Energy Development Project with the Department of Energy which involves the construction of ports that will host the assembly and storage of massive equipment used by the offshore wind energy sector.
Other projects are the establishment of the Office for Multimodal Transport and Logistics which will integrate under one office all modes of transportation; and the enactment of the Public Service Act that allows domestic foreign investments in the country’s domestic shipping industry.
“Hundreds of sustainable port development projects are currently being monitored and implemented to ensure seamless connectivity across regions, bolster the promotion of tourism nationwide, and support the livelihood of farmers and fisherfolk in the province,” Sarmiento said.
