PH’S LARGEST PORT PASSENGER TERMINAL RISING IN CALAPAN
The P353-million passenger terminal building (PTB) of the Port of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro, the largest of its kind in the country, is set to be inaugurated within the first quarter, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
On Tuesday, PPA said that the PTB was 98-percent finished and targeted for completion by Feb. 18. The unveiling of the terminal is set for March.
Its facilities include a prayer room, breastfeeding station, children’s playroom, clinic and a modern elevator and escalator.
PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the PTB could accommodate 3,500 passengers at any given time.
During an inspection, Santiago said that the PTB’s completion rate was 17 percent ahead of the target schedule.
“This is really for the passengers of Calapan Port; it is apt that we give the public quality and world class facilities that they can use while waiting for their trips,” said Elvis Medalla, head of PPA Port Management Office-Mindoro.
Surging passenger volume
Long queues of passengers at the Port of Calapan were observed during the first days of the new year with the return to and work after the holiday break, which required additional ship deployment.
At the time, Medalla said that tents and canopies had been placed to shelter the waiting passengers.
Santiago, as such, said that the new PTB was the long-term solution to accommodate demand for sea transport given the influx of passengers.
“Increasing the number of ships that travel here is part of our unending call, so that our passengers don’t have to wait too long. Hopefully, it will also be a huge help when we open the new Passenger Terminal Building this year,” Santiago said earlier.
This year, PPA is projecting a growth of 20 to 25 percent in terms of passenger traffic, as more individuals are expected to travel after years of pandemic-induced lockdown.
Passenger traffic grew by 184 percent to 43.77 million in the January to September period last year from 15.41 million in 2021.
PPA is also set to inaugurate another terminal in Zamboanga this year.
“We are building mega terminals now for sea travel, especially along the nautical highway,” Santiago said previously.