The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is revving up the Jose Panganiban Port in Camarines Norte, with an expansion project aimed at transforming it into a key logistics hub for the Bicol region.
PPA general manager Jay Santiago, together with Senator Robinhood Padilla and Camarines Norte Governor Ricarte Padilla broke ground for the expansion and improvement of Jose Panganiban Port.
The Jose Panganiban Port is located in Barangay Osmeña and has export cargo operations. Before the pandemic, the port recorded 8,673 metric tons (MT) of foreign cargoes. A foreign non-RoRo vessel was also docked here in 2019.
“This will be of great help to the residents of Camarines Norte, especially since it will serve as a logistics hub because of its strategic location in the middle of the Bicol region and the National Capital Region (NCR),” Santiago said.
“The local products of Camarines Norte will have a bridge through the PPA port to reach neighboring countries,” he said.
PPA is spending P543 million to expand the Jose Panganiban Port which is expected to be completed by November 2025.
Once finished, the port is expected to handle 18,516 MT of foreign cargoes and two non-RoRo vessels by 2032.
Governor Padilla said the project would be helpful for the importation of local products of Camarines Norte such as coconut and by-products, iron ore, silica, copra and others.
“If it wasn’t for him [Santiago], the reconstruction of our seaport would not have continued, and I see the dynamics of the national government now where the focus is on the modernization of our ports,” Gov. Padilla said.
The Jose Panganiban Port Improvement Project is part of the PPA’s mission to modernize the ports in the Philippines to develop the maritime industry.
PPA also inaugurated in April 2024 the new and improved Batangas Port Passenger Terminal Building (PTB), solidifying its position as the Philippines’ biggest and most advanced interisland maritime hub.
The expanded PTB, whose capacity increased to 8,000 passengers from the previous 2,500, has fully-airconditioned lounges, facilities for the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs), baggage x-ray machines, walkthrough metal detectors, food concession stands and extensive CCTV coverage.
With the improved passenger terminal building, Batangas Port became the largest and most modern PTB among the ports managed by the PPA under its terminal operator, Asian Terminal Inc. (ATI).
Connecting mainland Luzon to Region IV-B or MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) to Visayas (Iloilo, Negros and Cebu) and Mindanao via fast crafts, ferries and roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ships, the Batangas Port plays a significant role in stimulating the nation’s economy as a portal to agricultural areas, a gateway to island tourism destinations and a hub for goods and other products.
PPA said the planning for the Batangas PTB modernization started in 2020. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, construction began in 2021 and Phase 1 was completed in 2022. Phase 2 was finished in the first quarter of 2024.
