DOTr allots P2.3B for port dev't, expansion in Bohol

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

TAGBILARAN CITY -- Department of Transportation (DOTr) through its secretary Arthur Tugade has allocated additional project package worth P2.3 billion for the major improvements and expansion of Bohol ports as President Duterte’s gift to the Boholanos and for the hard work of its leaders.

In the inauguration of the new Tagbilaran City port passenger terminal building on April 14, Tugade said that before flying to Bohol, he and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago finalized the new or additional improvement works for four important ports in the province.

Tugade said the P2.3 billion will expand, among others, the city port cargo area at P546 million---plus a separate additional fund and improve the back-up portion and roll-on-roll-off (roro) ramp of the port in Jagna.

The port in Getafe will be improved at P560 million which Tugade said has been also insisted by Bohol governor Arthur Yap. A substantial allocation is also intended to complete the rehabilitation of the Catagbacan port in Loon which has been damaged by the 2013 earthquake.

“Not just because of the hardworking Bohol leaders, these are gifts from our president also to show the kind and depth of his love for the people of Bohol," Tugade added.

Yap thanked the president and secretary Tugade for believing in Bohol as a prime tourist destination---and to become a logistics, food and transport hub in the region.  He hoped that Tugade could help convince the president for assistance in diversifying Bohol's economy by establishing the hub with good ports in place.

In the same event, Tugade also turned over two containerized cold storage facilities to the governor which can boost the agricultural sector and help ensure food security in the province.

According to Yap the hub facilitates with more than one mode of transport, which is managed in to simplify the process, make it seamless driving down the costs.  The hub also assists with logistics activities such as warehousing ang trans-shipment, resulting in the provision of value-added services and complete end-to-end solution to customers.

"In this way, we are not only helping the province's economy but also complementing with Cebu by building our industries," Yap said.

The hub can attract further business investments and major companies to locate at its facilities, Yap cited that the area from Maribojoc to beyond Buenavista along the northern-northwestern corridor, where export processing and special economic zones can take place to diversify the economy.

Midway along the corridor is the Tubigon port where logistics facilities can be located nearby.  Diversifying the economy explains the province's aggressive food production and water supply development programs, which are both required and necessary to entice investors in various industries, Yap added.

Yad bared that over 70 percent of the total value of Bohol's economy is sourced from the services sector, which includes tourism and he said that the pandemic has taught Bohol an acid lesson not to rely on tourism alone.  Tourism recovery may yet be remote as COVID-19 lingers. (Photos: Google Images)