Coastal communities, fishermen, and tourists will benefit from the recent landmark inauguration of 143 port projects across the country, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said.

According to Tugade, the Department's social and tourism port projects were in line with President Duterte's goal of developing mobility and connectivity in the country, including far-flung areas.

“Dapat ang buhay na kombinyente at komportable ay maabot at marating lalo’t higit ang ating mga kababayan na nasa lugar na napabayaan at nakalimutan (A convenient and comfortable life must reach all of our countrymen especially those in places that seemed to have been neglected and forgotten)," Tugade said.

President Duterte and Tugade led over the week the simultaneous inauguration of the 143 port projects nationwide and the completed development projects for the Port of Zamboanga.

The seaport projects, Tugade said, include the construction of new and modernized social and tourism ports, as well as the rehabilitation and expansion of existing ports to provide better accessibility to fishers, tourists, and coastal communities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

While addressing the needs of coastal communities and fishers with better port facilities, the DOTr chief assured that the newly-inaugurated port projects will also improve the country’s connectivity and mobility needs.

Based on the data shared by the DOT, it showed that the Department's Maritime Sector was able to complete 52 port projects in Luzon, 64 in Visayas, and 27 in Mindanao over the past two years.

Aside from improving connectivity and mobility, the completed port projects have also managed to generate 4,000 jobs and benefitted over 8,000 fisherfolks nationwide.

For his part, President Duterte lauded the DOTr and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) for their continuous delivery of port projects throughout the country "which will certainly improve the mobility and connectivity of Filipinos."

“I am happy that almost all of the projects are completed, utilized, and the others are about to be finished. I hope that by the end of my term, makumpleto lahat ng proyekto (all of the projects will be completed)," President Duterte said.

"The completion of these port projects will boost inclusive growth to various industries in the provinces, especially in the shipping, fishing and tourism sectors, also with more employment to be generated to various localities," he added.