GMA orders upgrade of Bataan ports

President Arroyo has ordered the upgrading of the ports of Limay and Mariveles in Bataan as a principal port of entry in order to accelerate the development of the province.

Executive Order No. 727 issued by the President on May 27, authorized the Bureau of Customs to redefine the jurisdictional boundaries of the Port of Manila and to delineate the jurisdictional limits of the new principal port of entry to be known as the District Port of Limay and Mariveles.

The District Port of Limay and Mariveles would have jurisdiction over the entire province of Bataan and other areas to be added by the BOC.

However, the area covered by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority-Bataan was excluded from the jurisdiction of the new district port but will have the Port of Mariveles as its sub-port.

According to the President, the upgrading of the Ports of Limay and Mariveles would “complement the efforts to accelerate further, not just the economic growth, but the total development of Bataan and its outlaying Special Economic Zone.”

“Upgrading the status of the Ports of Limay and Mariveles into a principal port of entry will enable said port to avail of the manpower complement and other resources from national government agencies such as the Bureau of Customs, thereby enhancing infrastructure and systems development which will result in the port gaining more investors and other locators,” the E.O. stated. – Marvin Sy