Aquino to continue roro program

The touted Nautical Highway project launched by the unpopular previous government will apparently push through under the term of President Benigno Aquino 3rd.

Besides facilitating the movement of goods and people across the archipelago, the roll-on, roll-off (roro) programs offer transportation alternatives that help mitigate the dangers of pure sea travel.

Aneli Lontoc, undersecretary for maritime transport of the Department of Transportation and Communications, said that roro programs of the previous administration would continue to reduce passenger and cargo transport costs as well as travel time within the Philippines.

”We will continue the roro projects. We are a maritime country,” Lontoc told The Manila Times.

Roro is a system designed to carry rolling stock cargo that does not require cranes for loading or unloading.

Lontoc said that the expansion of roro ports system by installing 74 modular ports nationwide to link provinces and reduce the cost of inter-island transport of goods remained as a priority under the Aquino administration.

She added, however, that because of budget constraints, the Philippine Ports Authority was tasked to review the phasing of the prioritization. The projects will be funded by an P11-billion loan from BNP Paribas.

The project involves the nationwide installation, establishment and development of 74 roro ports for mobility enhancement, remote island development and social reform support.

The project would use prefabricated steel ports composed of five interdependent modular parts such as pier or causeway connecting to shore, mooring platform, manual ramp dolphin and passenger terminal with solar power utilities.

Part of new plan

Lontoc said that the improvement and expansion of roro ports would be included in the new Medium Term Philippine Development
Plan.

Malacañang earlier directed the formulation of plan and the Medium Term Investment Program for 2011 to 2106.

According to an earlier study made by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the government’s roro programs was credited with reducing transport costs from 10 percent to 60 percent. ADB also reported that more tourists were using roro because of its affordability.

Compared with other modes of transport, such as air and traditional shipping, roro offered a competitive—and safer— means of transporting passengers, the ADB reported.

For example, tourism receipts in Boracay from 2003 to 2006 rose by more than 50 percent. In Iloilo and in Dapitan, receipts rose 30 percent and 200 percent, respectively.

Data from the Philippine Ports Authority showed that the government has invested about P9 billion in roro facilities.

In January 2003, President Gloria Arroyo signed Executive Order 170 outlining the backbone of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway.

The Nautical Highway is one of President Arroyo’s priority programs to ensure fast and economical movement of goods and people. It was also designed to help boost domestic tourism and trade. It covers all routes from Mindanao to Luzon.

The Nautical Highway includes the three major road systems—the Western Nautical Highway, Central Nautical Highway and Eastern Nautical Highway. –Darwin G. Amojelar Senior Reporter, Manila Times