Improved, expanded Siquijor seaport enhances its maritime connectivity

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

SIQUIJOR ISLAND—The improved and expanded seaport in Siquijor that was inaugurated on by Department of Transportation secretary Art Tugade on Thursday, August 26 is seen to enhance the Island’s maritime connectivity, boost equitable and inclusive growth in the areas of employment, local trade, and investments.

    

“With the improvements that we are doing at the airport and seaport, Siquijor will soon be known as ‘Isla del Progreso.’ In other words, you will now have a massive change in connectivity at the seaport of Siquijor,” Tugade said in his message during the event.

The port expansion project covers the construction of an RC Wharf with Ro-Ro ramp and a back-up area.  With its improved facilities, the port now can accommodate more vessels and larger ships and allows for faster vessel turnaround time and a shortened waiting period for passengers and shippers. This will eventually reduce the queueing of rolling cargo, DOTr said in a media release after the event.

Twenty-five units of solar lights were also installed in the port. This translates to lower electricity cost and will reduce the port’s carbon footprint.

Prior to the upgrade, the Siquijor Seaport can only service a maximum of four ferries. With the renovation works already completed, it can now serve up to eight vessels with provision to handle a 65-meter cargo ship and can service two Ro-Ro vessels at the same time.

         

When it was being upgraded, DOTr bared that the port generated 35 jobs.  With its completion, the Siquijor Port is expected to further open more job opportunities for residents of the province, particularly in the tourism sector and other tourism-related industries.

Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa, in his message during the inaugural ceremony, told the Transportation Chief that the development projects in the province will truly impact the locals' way of life.

“Before the pandemic, there was a demand for us to upgrade due to the increased number of trips coming from Cebu, Bohol, and Dumaguete. This pressured us to look for additional funding sources,” Villa pointed out.

Earlier in the day, Tugade also inaugurated the Siquijor Airport. These two transport infrastructure projects are vital for the economic and tourism growth of the province. (Photos: DOTr)