President Marcos led the inauguration of a new passenger terminal building (PTB) at the Port of Batangas dubbed as the "most modern" inter-island terminal under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
The PTB, which was launched on Friday, April 26, connects mainland Luzon to MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, at Palawan), to Iloilo, Negros, Cebu, and Mindanao via fast crafts, ferries, and roll-on/ships.
It is operated under PPA's terminal operator Asian Terminal Incorporated (ATI).
Marcos said in his speech that the terminal does not only serve as a provincial port but as a port of national significance, stressing the port's crucial role as a portal to agricultural powerhouses, a gateway to island tourism paradises, and hub for goods.
"With the large volume of trade and passengers that it handles, the Port of Batangas is so crucial that economic planners have underscored the importance of the continuous expansion of this major transportation hub to support the country's economic transformation. This is because of the port's multiple strategic roles," he said.
"Therefore, today's activity is not only a reaffirmation of its importance, but as a vote of confidence in the entire Southern Tagalog, Bicol, and MIMAROPA's promising and positive future," he added.
Before leading the inauguration, the President toured the 1.5-hectare facility which can accommodate up to 22,000 passengers a day during peak seasons.
According to PPA General Manager Jay Santiago, the limited space of the terminal has always been a concern in the past, prompting them to expand it from 2,500 passenger capacity to 8,000 passenger capacity.
Santiago added the PTB in Batangas Port is now the largest terminal under the PPA.
The Batangas PTB features fully air-conditioned lounges, facilities for the elderly and persons with disabilities, baggage x-ray machines, walkthrough metal detectors, and extensive security camera coverage.
Planning stage for the Batangas PTB modernization began in 2020 and its construction commenced in 2021.
Phase 1 of the Batangas PTB development was completed in 2022, while the construction of phase 2 was completed in the first quarter of 2024.
The President also noted that the completion of the project does not mean that the work stops here.
"It is not the end of this program—with the completion of this building. The true success of our work lies on how we take care of this new terminal and those who will use and pass through these halls," he said.