5 days ago
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ILOILO CITY — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has given a directive to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to study the construction of an additional roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) port in this city.
The sea port is proposed to be built at Fort San Pedro, a former military defense structure built in the 1600s that was declared an important cultural property by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2016.
To address concerns over the site's heritage, the PPA has been tasked with developing plans to ensure the protection and preservation of the fort while accommodating the new port infrastructure.
"What was agreed was that PPA will be presenting plans that ensure the protection of the historical site," DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said on Saturday.
Dizon said PPA General Manager Jay Santiago will present the proposed plan this week, highlighting the new port as a critical facility to support the economic growth of Iloilo and nearby provinces.
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Meanwhile, Santiago said they are also looking into the establishment of a new domestic cargo terminal in the city since the Visayas Container Terminal (VCT), managed by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., will transition into an international terminal.
"The VCT, over time, will become purely foreign within maybe 3 to 4 years. The game plan is for it to become a purely international terminal," he said.
In Aklan, Santiago said the cruise terminal at the Port of Alegria in Buruanga is expected to be completed next year.
He said the cruise terminal aims to boost tourism by allowing cruise ships to dock directly at the port, making travel to Aklan and nearby tourist attractions more accessible.
"Tourists will be able to explore more, not just the island of Boracay, but also other tourist attractions in the province of Aklan. So we will try to help open up tourism in the province of Aklan," he said.
The Port of Alegria currently serves as a critical transport link, connecting Caticlan in Aklan with the towns of San Jose and Roxas in Mindoro.
