MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said the completion of seven seaport development projects in Bohol will boost economic activities in the province.
In a speech delivered in Tagbilaran City on Friday, Duterte said the projects mark another milestone in the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, making Bohol ready and responsive to the needs of the local and international trade and tourism markets.
“I am also confident that these ports will strengthen the capacity of Bohol as a catalyst of economic growth in Central Visayas,” Duterte said during the simultaneous inauguration of the seven development projects in Tagbilaran, Jagna, Ubay, Tapal, Talibon, Loon, and Maribojoc.
Duterte also lauded the Department of Transportation and its attached agency, Philippine Ports Authority, for the improved seaports that would allow Bohol to accommodate more people and goods from neighboring provinces.
The completed infrastructure projects would contribute to the province’s recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the President emphasized.
“All these developments support the administration’s mission to provide our people with improved mobility as well as a comfortable, productive, and dignified life for every Filipino,” he said.
The projects worth approximately PHP900 million include the construction of additional fast craft berth at the Port of Tagbilaran, which serves as Bohol’s main gateway to the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.
The Port of Talibon, which helps the Port of Tagbilaran in terms of cargo operations, has also been rehabilitated with a new Ro-Ro (roll on/roll off) ramp, and the establishment of a covered walkway and security fence.
A reinforced concrete wharf was also constructed and the passenger terminal building repaired at the Port of Jagna, which connects Cebu and Camiguin, to handle bigger vessels.
The Port of Ubay, which can only accommodate medium-sized motorized boats in the past, can now handle Ro-Ro vessels following the construction of a reinforced concrete pier.
The construction of the backup area and Ro-Ro ramp was also done at Tapal Port, considering the increasing passenger traffic to and from the port.
A passenger terminal building was built at the Port of Loon, offering a more comfortable experience for passengers, while the Port of Maribojoc was rehabilitated following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in 2013. (PNA)