PPA opens Philippine’s largest passenger terminal in Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has opened the largest passenger terminal building (PTB) in the country to accommodate the usual surge in travel demand during the Holy Week.

PPA general manager Jay Santiago led the opening of the PTB of the Port of Calapan, just in time to serve travelers headed to Oriental Mindoro to spend their Lenten break.

With the expansion, the PPA raised the passenger capacity of the Port of Calapan by more than twice to 3,500, from 1,600 before, making it the largest PTB across the archipelago.

Apart from this, the PPA improved every facility of the port, including the breastfeeding area and prayer room. Likewise, the PPA built escalators and elevators for ease of access, particularly for travelers with special needs.

Santiago said the renovated PTB of the Port of Calapan will benefit families headed to the provinces for the Holy Week. Based on records, the port welcomes around 12,000 passengers during holidays, especially as tourism makes a comeback in the pandemic aftermath.

“During peak seasons, the port facilitates roughly 12,000 passengers who at times have to fall in line and wait outside of the old terminal,” Santiago said.

“That will no longer be the case nowadays since we increased the capacity of the new PTB of the Calapan Port,” he added.

The PPA spent a total of P353 million to finish the renovation of the PTB of the Port of Calapan and improve the facilities inside the gateway.

Santiago, for his part, said the port had to be modernized with trade and travel picking up, and vowed that the PPA would make further investments in port developments to improve sea travel nationwide.

The PPA reported that around 4,000 travelers pass through the Port of Calapan on a regular day. However, that number increases as the Lenten season draws near, as passengers start to flock to Oriental Mindoro for the holiday break.

Even though the Port of Calapan holds the largest passenger capacity for now, it will later on be dwarfed by the facility being constructed in the Port of Zamboanga.

In 2021, the Department of Transportation invested P316 million for the expansion of the backup area and pier facilities and the construction of a 4,500 seater PTB in the Port of Zamboanga.