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Philippines to spend $18.9 Million to complete Nautical HighwayManila - Jan 5, 2006 To further build up the Philippines nautical highway system this year, the Philippine government intends to spend P1 billion (US$18.9 million), said Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas.
"The idea is to further ease transportation services and mobility in seaside towns leading to harbors that form part of the system," he added. To date, the expanded highway system, which includes the Cebu-Bohol-Camiguin roll-on, roll-off (RORO) complex, has reduced transport costs by 37 to 43 per cent for passengers and by 24 to 34 per cent for cargo. Travel time has also been reduced by 10 to 12 hours. As a result of the considerable reduction in transport cost and travel time, Gullas said the highway system has also invigorated domestic merchandise trade and tourism in a big way. The highway system maximizes the use of RORO facilities to move passengers and cargo from Mindanao through the Visayas to Luzon. The Western Nautical Highway is the western seaboard trunk route from Manila to Dipolog City or the Northwestern tip of Mindanao, which connects to the central trunk route at Cebu City in Central Visayas. The Central Nautical Highway is the central trunk route connecting Pilar, Sorsogon to Balingoan, Misamis Oriental, passing through Central Visayas and connecting to the East-West trunk routes at Cataingan, Masbate and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental. The Eastern Nautical Highway on the other hand, is the eastern sea link that binds Biliran, Leyte to Surigao City or the Northwestern tip of Mindanao and connects to the Central trunk route at Cataingan, Masbate. To spur countryside development, the government sought the use of the RORO transportation system in 2003, through the issuance of two executive orders. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has also issued rules prescribing the procedures for the privatization of state-owned RORO terminals that form part of the highway system. (PNA)
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