Waiting for Ro-Ro

The other weekend, on the eve of Father’s Day, our foreign news editor Patricia Esteves lost her father Pedro. We normally join colleagues in mourning, after we close the paper at night. But this time none of us in the newsroom could go to the wake, mainly because it was held in Dinalupihan, Bataan — a drive of a few hours from Manila’s Port Area. Our problem reminded me of my hope to see a RoRo service between Manila and Bataan in the near future. Last year it was reported that the government of Bataan planned to revitalize the ferry service between the province and Manila, with an Australian company said to be interested in operating a roll-on, roll-off facility. Bataan officials said that if the RoRo project pushed through, travel time between the city of Manila and the envisioned ferry station between Pilar town and Balanga City would be cut down to just 30 to 40 minutes. This would be a boon to Bataan, which has one of the country’s best travel destinations — the Dambana ng Kagitingan on Mount Samat in Pilar. The province already has a freeport and economic zone in Mariveles, where activities are sure to be boosted by a RoRo service. Last year I went to Bataan during the Holy Week break. The drive around the peninsula was scenic, with views of mountain and sea — always a pleasant sight. But even in the super light holiday traffic, with numerous "bantay-lakbay” police assistance posts along the way, it still took us about four hours to reach Bagac, on the western side of Bataan. In Bagac, it seemed the only decent meal to be had was in an overpriced tourist trap where the staff was clearly overwhelmed by the Holy Week crowd. Improved access to the province and tourism development will surely provide much better dining alternatives. After the unsatisfying lunch, we headed for Mount Samat, to the giant cross near the summit from where you can see the Manila skyline across the bay. In Manila on a clear day, you can also make out the giant cross. The war memorial was worth the long drive and the bad lunch. But a dramatic reduction in travel time through RoRo service, in your own car because local ground transportation is inadequate, will be a major tourism boost. Property developers may even see a leap in demand for housing in Bataan if a reasonably priced RoRo service is launched. From Pilar, tourists should be able to hop over to neighboring Corregidor for more wartime memorabilia. There is a regular ferry cruise service from Manila to the island. Last year reports said Bataan officials hoped to have the RoRo service launched in 2015. We still have half a year to wait for this. Or maybe it will have to wait until a new government comes in. The RoRo service, hailed by investors, was initiated by the Arroyo administration. It was derailed by the current one, whose wealthy officials should take the bus to the provinces so they will understand how useful the RoRo is to poor travelers. RoRo projects approved by President Aquino’s first Department of Transportation and Communications secretary Ping de Jesus were suspended for a long time and nearly scrapped when Mar Roxas took over the DOTC. * * * With the same teka-teka team in the DOTC, people have given up hoping for any major improvements in transportation facilities within the final year of P-Noy’s term. RoRo services will have to be an integral part of a transport and logistics program that the next administration must undertake if the country is to achieve sustained and perhaps greater economic growth. A recent report said the state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies is calling for a comprehensive multimodal transport and logistics development plan. PIDS, in a policy note last April, said this is needed if the country wants to take full advantage of economic growth and enhance its position as a regional transport hub. According to a World Bank blog, traffic jams in Metro Manila alone result in productivity losses estimated at a staggering P2.4 billion a day or more than P800 billion annually. Last year the city government of Manila, Ground Zero of traffic jams emanating from the nation’s principal port, imposed a truck ban for seven months. While motorists were happy, the economy suffered from curtailed port operations: PIDS estimated the resulting economic losses at P43.85 billion. PIDS says freight train services can be revived, with a 24-hour, web-based booking system, although the train tracks must first be rehabilitated. Good luck on this; we can’t install even five kilometers of rail tracks without the project getting derailed by corruption or incompetence. Proposals of the think tank are similar to those pushed by foreign investors, including development of the Port of Batangas and further enhancement of services in Subic to decongest the Port of Manila. Improved transport and logistics will not only decongest Manila’s port but should also encourage people to move out of Metro Manila. If you can be in Manila within 40 minutes, people will enjoy residing in Bataan, with its fresh air and scenic sea and mountain views. But pricing must be reasonable. Those investing in mass transport facilities and infrastructure must moderate their greed and resist the temptation to turn a profit ASAP. Sky-high tolls and transport fares discourage urban and port decongestion. With reasonable costs, who wouldn’t want to escape the urban blight in Manila?//