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The Department of Transportation allotted a total of P75 million for the upgrade of a port and two wharves in Northern Samar
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The San Jose port and Allen and Mapanas wharves will each get a budget of P25 million
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The projects are covered by a MOA between DOTr, the provincial government of Northern Samar and the local government of Mapanas
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Transportation undersecretary for maritime Elmer Francisco Sarmiento said the projects will improve regional economy and connect communities in the province
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is allotting a total of P75 million for the upgrade of a port and two wharves in Northern Samar.
The San Jose port and Allen and Mapanas wharves will each get a budget of P25 million.
The projects are covered by a memorandum of agreement between DOTr, the provincial government of Northern Samar and the local government of Mapanas.
Transportation undersecretary for maritime Elmer Francisco Sarmiento said the projects will improve the regional economy and connect communities in the province.
“We’re connecting communities such as Mapanas and other municipalities in Northern Samar to the bigger-island economies for their economic growth. We are happy to work with the Governor and Mayor in Northern Samar so that the benefits will be given to the province and respective LGUs (local government units,” Sarmiento said during the MOA signing on January 4.
The MOA was signed by Northern Samar governor Edwin Marino Ongchuan and Mapanas mayor Ronn Michael Tejano. Both thanked the DOTr for the benefits the projects are expected to bring to the province.
Ongchuan said the ports will be able to handle barges and commercial vessels, helping lift the province’s economy. He noted the area is known for the copra trade, with the commodity distributed to Lucena then to other areas in Quezon.
For his part, Tejano said the wharf in Mapanas will lead to competitive prices of fish and copra and expressed excitement in the “uncharted development” the project will bring to his municipality and its neighboring towns.
