Before the inauguration of the back-to-back transport infrastructure project tomorrow, a press briefing was held earlier today, 10 March 2021 in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, which was led by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar.
Representing the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in the briefing were Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Jim Sydiongco, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) - Negros Oriental/Siquijor Port Manager Sarah Mijares, and DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications and Commuter Affairs Goddes Hope Libiran, wherein they discussed the various transport infrastructure projects of the Department in Visayas and Mindanao, particularly the airport and seaport projects.
During the briefing, DG Sydiongco highlighted the mandate of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on the “Build, Build, Build” Program, and reiterated the directive of Secretary Arthur Tugade, that is, “Where there is demand and there is lack of capacity, you improve.”
DG Sydiongco further provided a comprehensive report on the airport development project in Dumaguete.
“Dito sa Dumaguete, right before we came, it could only serve about 300-350 passengers, but in 2017, 2018 and 2019, ang annual passenger niya was from 500, increasing 10% rate to 700. So, we had to improve the runway, we asphalted it, improve the taxiway because masikip na yung daanan, and then yung apron nilaparan din natin. Before, it used to accommodate only 3, now it can accommodate 5. ‘Yung Passenger Terminal Building used to accommodate only about 300-350, it can now accommodate about 500 to 550 passengers,” DG Sydiongco said.
DG Sydiongco likewise announced other future plans of the DOTr in the region, such as the airport development project in Bacong, Dumaguete.
“Looking forward, we have already identified Bacong as the future airport. Now, it has been surveyed, it has been identified, and it is now being appraised. I think within this month, matatapos na 'yung project na ‘yun,” DG Sydiongco said.
He further added, “DOTr is now talking and in discussion with Korea Eximbank and they have offered their intention to grant ODA and then subject for NEDA review and approval..”
DG Sydiongco also announced that the groundbreaking for the project is being targeted to happen by the first quarter of next year.
Meanwhile, when asked about the innovative and transformational projects and programs that the PPA confers, Port Manager Mijares said, “Because of the increasing trend sa traffic sa statistics ng passengers, through the initiative of GM Jay Santiago and through the guidance of Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, this Port Operations Building was made possible. While na atay daan the capacity passenger terminal, it only caters 1,026 seating capacity, with the new POB, we have added 429 to the sitting capacity and aside from that, the second floor will be used as our office because katung sa nauna 1978 pa ‘tong office so very risky na sya so it will house more than 70 PPA personnel.”
Port Manager Mijares also said that the POB encompasses a Port Integrated Clearing Office which would provide an array of benefits to the operations of the port, and said that the completion of the project is very timely and can surely provide convenience and comfort to the port employees and users.
For her part, when asked about how the Filipinos will be assured that even beyond the term of President Duterte, there is continuity in realizing the infrastructure projects, Asec. Libiran aptly explained the 30-year roadmap of the DOTr.
"The Department of Transportation (DOTr), under the leadership of Secretary Tugade, is actually pursuing for the legislation of the national transportation strategy—a 30-year Roadmap that will start from 2021 to 2050. This will be legislated by Congress, para maiwasan na natin yung mga dating gawi na kapag napalitan ang administrasyon, kapag hindi type 'yung project e ishe-shelve na lang,” Asec. Libiran said.
In terms of the status of various transport infrastructure projects nationwide, Asec Libiran provided the total number of completed and ongoing ones, and underscored that the roll-out of infrastructure development are not centered in Luzon alone, but rather, to Visayas and Mindanao as well.
“Since the Duterte Administration came in, with Secretary Tugade at the helm of DOTr, the DOTr and CAAP have already completed 121 airport projects, working on the construction of 114 more, and meron po kaming for procurement na 75 airport projects. That’s nationwide po, not just Luzon. May mga nagsasabi na puro Luzon lang daw ang projects. That is not true, kasi marami pong proyekto ang DOTr, CAAP, and PPA sa Visayas and Mindanao. Sa maritime naman po natin, ang DOTr at PPA ay nakapagtapos na po ng 424 seaport projects, and 111 po ay ongoing,” Asec. Libiran said.
Officials who were also present in the briefing are Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Ramon Cualoping III, Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness Kristine Evangelista, and Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo.
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