The Philippine Ports Authority is revisiting its Roll on-Roll off (Ro-Ro) Port system, with special focus on the so-called “western node” of the country.
This is composed of ports in Batangas, Mindoro, Caticlan, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Dapitan in Zamboanga.
The PPA made the announcement in response to calls by the ro-ro sector to revive the industry.
PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said the agency was initially collaborating with the Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC), whose members own valuable vintage cars.
“If the ports can handle the special requirements of these unique vehicles then surely, our ports can definitely handle the requirements of everyday vehicles,” Santiago said.
He said the ro-ro system was still the “most efficient means to connect the country’s islands, which was why it was important to guarantee its continued viability for trade and tourism.”
“With the influx of bigger, high-capacity and sophisticated ro-ro vessels, we need a responsive port system to cater to these demands,” he said.
The move will also provide usable data and feedback from port users on how to further improve port operations.
The next targets after the Western Nautical Highway are the Central and Eastern Seaboard. The Central Nautical Highway links Pilar, Sorsogon and Balingoan in Cagayan de Oro while the Eastern Nautical Highway is a link between the province of Biliran, Western Leyte and Surigao City.
The modernization and expansion of the ro-ro system was among the top priorities identified by the current administration to maintain inter-island connectivity.
The government continues to encourage additional private sector investments in ro-ro operations particularly in areas where there is huge traffic volume, PPA said.
In 2003, the government adopted a policy to promote ro-ro, a system designed to carry rolling stock cargo that does not require cranes for loading or unloading. The Asian Development Bank earlier said the ro-ro system had cut costs and travel time in the Philippines.