[ Malaya.com.ph ] April 29, 2008
BY REGINA BENGCO
ON BOARD MV MAHARLIKA IV FERRY. - Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza on Monday said government will open to the world this year a "virgin" Palawan via a new roll-on roll-off ferry route (ro-ro).
Mendoza, in an interview in Bulan town, Sorsogon at the launching of the Central Philippines Nautical Highway, said the route would start from the Port of Batangas in Luzon to Abra de Ilog in Mindoro Occidental and to Coron, Palawan.
"Everybody now wants to go to Palawan because it is still virgin. The Boracay route is already congested," he said.
Boracay island is covered by the first ro-ro or Western Nautical Highway route that was inaugurated in 2003 and starts from the Port of Batangas to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte.
Mendoza said opening up Palawan would make the "high-end tourism destinations" more accessible. He said the major roads to the new destination are already constructed and all that is left is for the public works department to finish the road connections.
Mendoza said opening a seaport in an area always results in heightened economic activity. He said ro-ro has around 44 million passengers per year and is more viable than big liners because they do not pass by smaller islands.
He said the Central Philippines Nautical Highway (CPNH), which President Arroyo inaugurated in Bulan Monday morning, would address both the tourism and agriculture industries.
Arroyo switched on the lights showing the ports involving the central seaboard - from Manila to Bulan in Sorsogon, Masbate City and Cauayan in Masbate, Bogo and Cebu City in Cebu province, Tubigon and Jagna in Bohol, Mambajao and Benoni in Camiguin, and Balingoan in Misamis Oriental.
The President sent off the ro-ro caravan in Bulan but the ferry had no other cargo or passengers except members of the media who traveled to Bulan via bus since Saturday.
She waved away the photographers taking shots of her looking at the ferry, telling them to get on board.
She then boarded her helicopter for Cauayan Port in Masbate City, where she unveiled the marker. She will meet the ro-ro caravan in Bogo Port, Cebu City.
The President will join the main ro-ro caravan Tuesday in Bohol where she would convene the National Economic Development Authority-Cabinet group.
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