Philippines needs to improve transportation gateways

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippines is urged to make transportation gateways like airport, seaport to be the top priority for improvement, in order to seize the promising outlook of the country's logistics, as well as tourism markets.

Transportation and logistics expert Enrico Basilio suggested that for airport infrastructure improvement, top priority should go to international gateways to support tourism promotion efforts of the Department of Tourism (DOT), like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Mactan International Airport, Clark, Kalibo, Davao, Iloilo/Bacolod, Daraga, and Puerto Princesa hubs.

 Likewise, follow-up works for upgrades should be implemented in other international gateways like, Laoag, Zamboanga, and Laguindingan.

Among the secondary airports, focus should go to developing those in Legaspi, Panglao, Siargao, San Vicente, Busuanga, Camiguin, Dipolog, and Tacloban, then the aviation facilities in Naga, Masbate, Marinduque, San Jose, Butuan, and General Santos, Basilio added.

Moreover, initiatives to expand airports with the goal of boosting cargo volumes, particularly at NAIA, Clark, Cebu, Davao and General Santos are highly recommendable.

Basilio added that fast improvement of seaport infrastructure is also vital to boost not only the logistic market, but it will also complement the tourism sector, specifically on installing cruise berthing facilities.

Proposed targets for modernization are the seaports of South Harbor, Puerto Princesa, Caticlan, Cagban, Coron, Iloilo, Romblon, Currimao, Aparri, Subic, Batan, Hundred Islands, and Lingayen Gulf.

Sasa Port in Davao can be developed as a domestic port and berthing facility for cruise shipping.

Renovation plans for ports catering to maritime cargoes and passengers cover select domestic ports that will serve as regional hubs.

 Also planned are the development of the new Cebu port, expansion of the Mindanao Container Port and Makar Wharf, and expansion of Batangas and Subic Ports to decongest Manila.

 Moreover, new roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) facilities for Palawan-Buliluyan; San Fernando, El Nido; Bantulan, Taytay; and Borac, Coron are in the pipeline, said the executive. Meanwhile, Basilio said drafting a comprehensive national transport policy will further advance the logistics sector.

 Other recommendations to boost logistics include enacting into law the proposed Omnibus Maritime Code, issuing the dual airport policy, and amending Executive Order No. 170 to include chassis-RO-RO service in the definition of RO-RO operations.

Basilio also pushed for the resolution of the overlapping and conflicting functions of regulatory agencies by amending the charters of the Philippine Ports Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

The 2015 transport intelligence report forecasts that the industry could expand from a P100-billion market in 2013 to an industry valued at more than double or triple this value by 2020.

The sector stands to grow by a low 11 percent to P204 billion up to a high of 18 percent to P326 billion four years from now, Basilio said.  (FREEMAN)