The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) opened its P267 million Port Operations Building (POB) in Coron, Palawan, on Wednesday, March 22, in time for the peak summer travel season.
Passengers to Palawan average 500 per day but the number is expected to surge to 700-1000 passengers daily during the Holy week.
The POB sits on the newly completed 5,000 square meter (sqm) backup area and has doubled its passenger capacity, from 250 to 500, complete with prayer room, charging station, breastfeeding area, and two sets of restrooms.
However, the POB can accommodate from 700 to 900 passengers, according to PPA General Manager Jay Santiago.
“This will not only bring tourism and trade to the surrounding provinces of Palawan, but will also promote connectivity and mobility," he remarked.
Aside from constructing a 5,000 sqm back up area, PPA has also started building a 51 meter wharf with 2 Roll-On, Roll-Off (RORO) ramps in the project site.
The opening of the new Coron POB is timely because flights bound for Coron are mostly fully booked now and travel by ship has become the easiest way to get to the destination, according to PPA PMO Palawan Port Manager Elizalde Ulson.
The Port of Coron serves as gateway to the best tourist attractions of Palawan.
It is 45 minutes away from El Nido and 30 minutes away from Barracuda lake, Twin Lagoon, and Kayangan lake.
“This is the second port project we inaugurated this March, afterwhich we will launch the country's biggest passenger terminal building at the Port of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro,” according to GM Santiago.
The Port of Calapan's Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) has a capacity for 3,500 passengers and is the last project for PPA’s #TatloSaMarso inauguration list after the POB inauguration of Masbate and Coron.