President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, together with Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, is set to lead the simultaneous inauguration of seven completed seaport projects in Bohol on Friday.

The inauguration of the seven seaport projects in Bohol wraps up the two-day visit of team DOTr in the Visayas region following the inauguration of the completed corporate building of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport on Thursday.

The seven seaport projects were completed in Tagbilaran, Jagna, Ubay, Tapal, Talibon, Loon, and Maribojoc Ports.

In the Port of Tagbilaran, which serves as Bohol’s main gateway to the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao, the construction of additional fast-craft berth has been completed in June 2021.

The project is expected to facilitate the movement of vessels and decongest traffic at its existing berths, resulting in increase of trip frequencies. To recall, Tagbilaran Port’s new Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) was likewise inaugurated in April of this year.

The Port of Jagna, which connects mainland Cebu and Camiguin, can now handle bigger vessels with the completion of its reinforced concrete wharf/deck in July 2021.

The Port of Ubay can only accommodate medium-sized motorized banca in the past. Now, it can handle medium-sized conventional and Ro-Ro vessels as the construction of its reinforced concrete pier has been completed in December 2020.

With the increasing passenger traffic to and from the Tapal Port over the years, the DOTr and PPA pushed for the construction of the port’s back-up area and Ro-Ro ramp. Despite the pandemic, the development project was completed in October 2020.

Several rehabilitation projects have likewise been carried out in Port of Talibon, including a Ro-Ro ramp, establishment of covered walkway, and security fence to further provide comfort and convenience to traders and passengers. This port also helps to take the load off Tagbilaran Port in terms of cargo operations.

The Port of Loon now offers more convenience and comfort to sea passengers as the DOTr and PPA were able to complete the construction of its Passenger Terminal Building.

The seventh port is the Maribojoc Rehabilitation and Expansion Project. From its dilapidated state after the destruction of the Bohol quake in 2013, the improvement of the port has been finally completed in June 2021.

These port projects in Bohol form part of the 472 commercial and social-tourism port projects completed by the DOTr and PPA since the Duterte administration took over in 2016. (PNA)