Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro
November 18, 2021

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the inauguration of eight (8) integrated seaport development projects in Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro, improving the movement of essential goods between the two (2) provinces as well as in its neighboring provinces.

“I commend the Department of Transportation as well as the Philippine Ports Authority for their work on the eight seaports to be inaugurated today,” President Duterte keynoted in his speech.

The improved and expanded seaports include the two (2) expansion projects in the Port of Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro, as well as the projects in the Ports of Calapan, Balatero, Roxas, Bulalacao, Mansalay and Bansud.

“The Island of [Mindoro] plays a significant role in boosting the country’s interconnectivity as it serves as a gateway for passengers and goods coming from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao and vice versa,” President Duterte said, citing that these port improvements will help boost the tourism and economic growth of the two (2) provinces.

The program highlights the ongoing construction of the Calapan Port Passenger Terminal Building (PTB). Once finished, the PTB can accommodate 3,500 passengers at any given time, the biggest PTB in any ports in the Philippines to date in terms of its capacity.

Several improvements were built in Puerto Galera’s new gateway, the Port of Balatero, which now showcases an expanded PTB as the municipality reopens its destination spots to tourists. On the other hand, the Port of Roxas now has an expanded back-up area, a reinforced concrete (RC) platform, an additional RoRo ramp and newly installed port lighting system.

Meanwhile, the expansion of the Port of Mansalay made it capable of accommodating the demands of shipping trade in the area. While improvements in the Port of Bansud that include the RC platform, an additional RoRo ramp and RC pier will bolster its operational capacity. Likewise, the Port of Bulalacao can now use its maximum capacity and space with a completed and expanded back-up area.

“Indeed, these projects affirm the government’s strong commitment to improve the lives of Filipinos by pursuing vital infrastructure projects, even amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Chief Executive added.

Apart from the port expansion projects in Oriental Mindoro, Abra de Ilog – Occidental Mindoro’s main seaport and gateway for agricultural products – now features a new port operations building, RC pier and an additional RoRo ramp.

A total of 484 seaport projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ Infrastructure Program have been developed in the Provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro.

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