Travel time and cargo transportation costs to and from Siquijor are expected to decrease with the completion this year of the port construction in the island-province.

The Philippine Ports Authority said bidding for the Siquijor port project will start soon. Aside from Siquijor, also prioritized for completion this year are the ports of Dingalan in Aurora province; Batangas; Cawit - Boac, Marinduque; Cawayan - Masbate; Pantao - Libon, Albay; Jagna - Bohol; Ubay - Bohol; Liloan Ferry Terminal - Southern Leyte; Limasawa - Southern Leyte; Naval - Biliran; Guisiliban - Camiguin; Cagayan de Oro - Misamis Oriental; Sasa - Davao City; Balbagon (Mambajao) - Mambajao, Camiguin; Subic Bay Port Development Project; and Lucena Port Passenger Terminal Building in Quezon.

Presidential Management Staff director general and Infrastructure Monitoring Task Force chief Cerge Remonde said the priority port projects are part of the 28 projects President Gloria Arroyo identified in her Strong Republic Nautical Highway program at the beginning of her administration.

At an aggregate cost of P23.5 billion spread until 2010, the SRNH aims to facilitate the end-to-end transport of passengers, goods and services from production to population centers to boost and maximize the economic potentials of the country's five Super Regions, Remonde said.

Under President Arroyo's Super Regions concept, which forms part of the Medium-Term Public Investment Program, he said, the 16 regions in the country have been grouped into four mega-regions, and another region that cuts across these mega-regions, to create an enlarged economic landscape based on the natural competitive advantage of these areas.

Remonde cited the strategic importance of ports in sustaining the economic growth as they serve as vital links that bring the country's production base closer to the markets.

"Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) ports reduce transport costs and ultimately the costs of goods in the market. They are also important in promoting tourism in the countryside," Remonde said, adding that "Transport costs for passengers were cut by 40 percent while cargo costs were cut by 30 percent."

Philippine Ports Authority general manager Oscar Sevilla also said five immediate benefits that ports bring to a community where it is situated are economic activity, employment, peace and order, tourism and easing of cultural divergence.

Sevilla stressed that the benefits of ports contribute to the overall economic growth of the country and provide additional funds that will "trickle down" to the masses.*RG

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