TWO commercial ports in Iloilo city and province are up for rehabilitation and expansion to attract more investments and tourists.
Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has allotted P180-million for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Dumangas Port in Barangay Sapao, Dumangas, as a major alternate port of the Port of Iloilo.
The Dumangas Port will serve as passenger and cargo terminal to offer roll-on, roll-off facilities and being developed as the Port of the Province of Iloilo.
On the other hand, the Port of Iloilo located at the Parola area in the city proper is the main port of the region and will be upgraded and improved soon by the PPA.
Mabilog said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will soon finishe the construction of the P135-million new roro port at the Lapuz area that will service the roro vessels for Bacolod City and back and the interisland vessels for Palawan and Cagayancillo.
Similarly, the Department of Agriculture and its Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is also upgrading and expanding the fishport located inside the Iloilo Fish Port Complex. The project is expected to be completed by 2015.