31 Ports Targeted for Completion Before Duterte’s Term Ends

Around 31 port projects are hoped to be established and inaugurated by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office on June 30. “Katulong ng Department of Transportation (DoTr), so far, since 2016, nakatapos na ang PPA at DoTr ng 585 port projects, malaki at maliit,” explained Jay Daniel Santiago, PPA General Manager. “Meron pa tayong hinahandang pasisinayaan at matatapos bago matapos ang termino ng ating Pangulo sa June 30 na nasa 31 port projects.”

(“With the aid of the DoTr, so far since 2016, we have completed 585 port projects, large and small. We expect to complete and launch before the President ends his term on June 30, 31 more port projects.”)

Among these projects is the Curimao Port located in Ilocos Norte, which the PPA describes to be “more than ready to handle bigger, more sophisticated cruise ships.” Also included is Sorsogon’s Bulan Port, expected to serve as an alternative jump-off point to Masbate and Cebu.

The Banago Port in Negros Occidental and the Ports of Baybay and Palompon in Leyte are, likewise, other projects that are expected to be completed before June 30 alongside the completion of the passenger terminal buildings in Batangas and Calapan ports “which will be… two of the biggest terminals in the country.”

“The projects that were completed also prepared the country to take in the shipping and logistical demand both from local and international players in the short- to mid-term as the world transitions to the (new) normal,” added Santiago. The PPA had also noted that it transferred ₱43.98 billion to the Treasury between 2016 and 2021. These funds were sourced from taxes collected, paid and dividends remitted.

“The amount is P12.93 billion or 41.64% higher compared to the total contribution paid to the government from 2010 to 2015,” elaborated the PPA, despite the circumstances of the global pandemic. The agency had also generated ₱34.90 billion in net income from 2016 to 2021, accounting for a more than double increase compared to its ₱17.85 billion income from 2010 to 2015.

“We… increased the percentage of the dividend remittance from 57% in 2020 to 60% in 2021 to help the government in its (coronavirus) response,” he affirmed, furthering that the completed port projects were sufficiently flexible in delivering services as the recovery from the pandemic gained momentum.

In an effort to complete 240 additional port projects — which fall under the 585 port projects completed under the current administration’s infrastructure program — between the aforementioned time frame, the PPA incurred ₱19.87 billion in expenses. Santiago added that the PPA is simply adhering to “the institutional changes implemented by the current administration to fulfill the mandate of the agency to improve and build ports to properly connect the archipelago and spur economic growth among the islands.”

Source: BusinessWorld, Yahoo News