MARITIME WATCHKEEPER

            The inauguration of the privately funded super cruise ship terminal at the Manila South Harbor will further spur the development of the traditional domestic sea terminal at the North Harbor.

            Transportation Leandro R. Mendoza made the statement to allay fears that the inauguration of the mega terminal that will likewise service domestic shipping at the South Harbor would adversely affect the operation of the Manila’s premier domestic terminal.

            “The upgrading terminal and development of the North Harbor is still part of the over-all-eight-point agenda of the Arroyo administration. The modernization of the North Harbor will be done in the three phases,’ Secretary Mendoza said.

            The first phase of the modernization of North Harbor is part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Philippine Ports Authority of the Marine slipway which will be connected to Pier 14, Secretary Mendoza explained.

            This will be followed, he said, by the construction of connecting links for Piers 6, 8,10 and 12, to be followed by the connection of Piers 2 and 4, Secretary Mendoza added.

            He also discounted transferring the domestic shipping services to Cavite to integrate it with air transportation development at the Sangley Point military reservation.

            The modernization of the country’s seaport with the North and South Harbors as the first priorities, will be followed by the upgrading and rehabilitation of other major ports in the Visayas and Mindanao, especially those in Iloilo, Davao, General santos, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga City, Secretary Mendoza revealed.

            The rehabilitation work on these Visayas and Mindanao ports is expected to be undertaken with the financial assistance of the Japan Intenational Cooperation Agency (JICA). Feasibility project studies are now ongoing, Secretary Mendoza added.

            Meanwhile, DOTC Spokesperson Thompson Lantion said a major component of the ports rehabilitation project is the re launching of the roll-on-roll-off (RORO) Ferry Development Program which is aimed at speeding up sea travel between islands.

            The program envisage a western seaboard trunk route and lateral connection to the Pan-Philippine Highway within the Visayan seas.

            Under the program, the government will develop sea transport loops seamlessly linking the eastern and the western part of the country. The first phase of the project will cover the Visayan and is expected to be completed by the latter part of 2004.

 END

DOTC
PRESS RELEASE