THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) expressed its commitment toward improving port areas in the Philippines to help boost tourism and business.
"We are currently working on tourism ports [as part of tourism and economic progress]," DoTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said during the Management Association of the Philippines General Membership Meeting on Wednesday at Shangri-La The Fort.
Being an archipelago, Philippine ports are considered key transportation hubs that are necessary to facilitate the movement of goods.
In addition, it is a reflection of the country's capability to boost the tourism sector.
"We are looking for tourism ports in Bohol, in Ilocos and also in Cagayan de Oro in Camiguin," said Bautista.
Because of the Philippines geographic makeup, domestic trade is mostly maritime in nature, according to a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies.
The study also states that the number of operational Philippine ports has increased from 1,312 in 1993 to 1,886 in 2015. With increase in demands, as well as to reduce congestion in cargo and passenger traffic, additional ports must be built.
"Seaports do not operate in isolation; they must be well-integrated in the transport system," according to the study.
