The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has started working with the United States to identify areas of cooperation to improve the Philippines’ transport systems.
DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said among those discussed during a meeting with US officials are the tightened security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the modernization of regional airports.
Also tackled, according to him, were the cargo Subic-Cargo-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) railway, improvement and modernization of seaports and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and road transport initiatives.
“We would like to get support especially in areas where the US is very much advanced. The DOTr is hoping that we can get support and advice from the US to improve our transport systems,” Bautista said during the first DOTr-US coordination meeting.
For her part, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said the US strongly supports the Philippines’ infrastructure goals and cement the enduring value of the US-Philippine economic partnership.””
As a critical growth area, Carlson said the Luzon economic corridor will unleash the corridor’s economic potential
“We truly value our strong partnership with DOTr. We’ve deepened our cooperation to support our shared goal to elevate the US-Philippines economic partnership,” Carlson said.
“One of our key goals is to cement the enduring value of the US-Philippine economic partnership,” she added.