The recommendation by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the Maritime Industry Authority that it must define as missionary route the unserved Roll-On, Roll-Off or RORO ports in the country deserves our hand.
At a meeting of the House Committee on Transportation three days ago, Arroyo suggested a quick definition of these ports, especially those connecting poor areas to flourishing ones.
Arroyo, who conducted the Oversight Committee on Transportation hearing, had asked the Department of Transportation to revise its proposed development of the RORO transport system after most of the new routes being pushed had been found to be existing or were being serviced by shipping lines in nearby ports.
We note the RORO Terminal System or RORO project was developed pursuant to Executive Order 170 issued by Arroyo when she was the country’s chief executive (2001-2010) —the inter-island connections introduced and developed to connect Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—to reduce the high cost of transporting people, goods and services through an integrated national highway system.
The recommendation by the 71-year-old Speaker, the 14th President of the Republic, to exclude from the MARINA list the unserved ports—reasons range from another nearby port is operating so there is no vessel and is more convenient for motorists to go by land to environmental factors—deserves our endorsement.
It is pointless, if impractical, to have an ambitious plan in already existing routes if other ports and areas do not have the link to move people, goods and services.
Arroyo’s suggestion that unserved ports— operators are lacking in these areas—must be looked into immediately by the Department of Transportation which must give the missionary routes to shipping lines.
As defined, a missionary route is an incentive given to a shipping line to service a new route exclusively for five years.
In sum, the RORO system, properly implemented and adequately serviced, can verily be a lasting legacy by our leaders.