DoF: No more cursed Manila port with Batangas complement
The head of the Duterte administration’s economic team expects the expanded Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI)-operated Batangas port to help ease congestion in Manila while boosting the local economy of the Calabarzon region.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III attended Monday’s inauguration of the Batangas Container Terminal Berth 2, which would increase the port’s capacity by 50 percent to 450,000 20-foot containers.
“This is more than sufficient now to meet the needs of the rapidly growing Calabarzon manufacturing and agricultural corridor,” Dominguez said in a speech.
“With this additional berth, the Batangas port complements the Port of Manila. This will spare Manila the curse of congestion experienced lately. This will provide a good alternative gateway for our rapidly expanding trade. This will service domestic routes to the southern islands as well as handle cargoes to and from the regional hubs in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and our other global trading partners,” the Finance chief added.
Dominguez lauded ATI, which he said modernized the Batangas port “by leaps and bounds.”
“[ATI] brings to this port the best know-how and cutting edge technologies with its partner, the DP World, that made this company a totally true global power in port operations,” he said.
“This additional berth will surely have a positive impact on the growth of the economy. I prefer to look at this port project as [ATI’s] contribution to President Rodrigo Duterte’s ambitious ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure modernization program. This will make our economy more efficient, more attractive to investors, and it will help shape our economic development to be more inclusive,” he added.
Dominguez said the expanded Batangas port would support the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
“With the new passenger terminal scheduled to be completed in 2021, the Batangas port will be the second major hub for maritime transport and commerce in Luzon. With this efficient facility, Calabarzon will continue to be among the country’s most progressive regions,” Dominguez said.
“The simultaneous and rapid development of the Clark Zone and Batangas port will be helpful in relieving the over-concentration of commerce and administration in Metro Manila. The bustling corridor from Central Luzon to Southern Tagalog will power our nation’s progress for decades to come,” Dominguez added. —BEN O. DE VERA
