The project, with the direct involvement of the Philippine Navy, is the biggest infrastructure project of the provincial government and is a brainchild of Gov. Vicente Gato, a retired Navy captain.
Gato has long realized the economic returns of building a boat shelter port in the province. However, the sourcing of funds, originally estimated at P250 million, delayed the project.
When completed in October, the port will give shelter to inter-island vessels plying the Basco-Itbayat route and those ferrying passengers or construction materials from Basco or Ivana to the island-town of Sabtang during inclement weather. — Jack Castaño III