Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, together with Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, inaugurated three completed port projects in Palawan – the Port of San Fernando in El Nido, the Port of Bataraza in Brgy. Buliluyan, and the Borac Port in Coron today, 19 March 2021, fulfilling the promise of the Duterte administration to link the island province to other parts of the country and to nearby countries.
The inauguration also marks the start of operations for the newly constructed seaports that aim to boost economic progress, not just of Palawan, but the whole of the MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) region as well.
Also in attendance at the triple event were Palawan Governor Jose Ch. Alvarez, Palawan 2nd District Rep. Cyrille Abueg-Zaldivar, Palawan 3rd District Rep. Gil Acosta Jr., El Nido, Palawan Mayor Edna G. Lim, and other local and national officials.
The ports of San Fernando, Bataraza, and Borac are among the 424 completed seaport projects of the DOTr and PPA, under the massive "BUILD, BUILD, BUILD" infrastructure program of the Duterte administration.
“Ngayon ay magpasinaya tayo ng hindi isa, hindi dalawa, kundi tatlong Puerto, kasagutan sa pangarap ng Palawan. Kasama ang tatlong puerto na pinasisinayaan natin ngayon, sumatutal na puerto na ginawa ng Kagawaran ng Transportasyon at ng PPA ay 19 ports ‘ho, ito yung nagawa na, kasama na rin ‘ho ang tatapusin. By any numbers, 19 is not small, it is not medium, it is big pagkat ang Palawan ay malapit sa puso ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte, ang Palawan ay malapit sa puso ng Duterte administration,” Secretary Tugade said.
“It took only the political will of President Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the cooperation of the local government to say enough is enough, let us put all our actions so that the dreams that we have will come true. And today, those dreams will have to be a reality because they will bring convenience and comfort not only to the people of Palawan but more importantly to the people of the Philippines and also to the people of the neighboring ASEAN,” Secretary Tugade added.
For his part, GM Santiago said that aside from the 13 completed out of the 19 seaport projects in Palawan, the agency also has four (4) more ongoing projects in the province.
“Dito sa Coron, bagamat nagawa na ang bagong pantalan dyan sa Borac, yung luma sa Coron town ay iimprove pa natin yan. Kailangang ayusin ang Port Operations Building dyan para mas maganda ang serbisyo ng PPA sa port users at kailangan continuously ina-upgrade ang ating mga pier, bugbog po talaga ang pantalan na yan sa dami ng biyahe. Dito naman po sa Aborlan ay kung papano mai-improve ang maliit na pantalan doon para makapag-silbi hindi lamang sa mga mangingisda kundi para masilbihan din ang mga deretsong kargamento as an alternate port po sa Southern Palawan other than Puerto Princesa,” GM Santiago said.
Meanwhile, Palawan Governor Alvarez commended Secretary Tugade and the PPA for the completion of the said port projects, which he noted as the government’s fulfillment of the ASEAN agreement for the enhancement of interconnectivity in the region.
“Kung walang political will mula sa isang Secretary [Secretary Tugade] na halos hindi na natutulog matapos lamang ang proyekto, hindi matatapos ang mga proyekto ni Pangulong Duterte,” Governor Alvarez said.
“Ang Palawan ay masyadong bantog sa Kota Kinabalu and the whole of Sabah, where we have 1.3 million Filipinos, sila po ay malayang pupunta rito sa Palawan pag konektado na tayo sa RORO,” the Governor added.
The completed projects at the Port of San Fernando include the construction of a Back-up Area with RORO (roll-on, roll-off) Ramp, a Causeway, and Access Road, as well as a reinforced concrete (RC) wharf with a RORO ramp.
Development works on the wharf, back-up area, and the port lighting system were meanwhile accomplished at the Port of Bataraza.
On the other hand, projects completed at the Borac Port include the development of its back-up area, construction of concrete pavement, as well as the supply and installation of lamp posts, rubber dock fenders, and mooring bollards
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