DOTr, PPA back construction of Philippines’ second-largest container terminal

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) have thrown their full support behind International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s (ICTSI) development of the Luzon International Container Terminal (LICT). The project is expected to boost regional economic growth and create jobs in the CALABARZON region.

DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said the construction of the LICT aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to facilitate regional trade and enhance the country’s supply chain.

Dizon said the world-class container terminal in Bauan, Batangas could become a future industrial zone in the province.

“This Luzon International Container Terminal, by 2028, will be the second-biggest container terminal in the country. This is very important, especially for the CALABARZON area because this is the industrial capital of the Philippines,” Dizon said during a Friday inspection.

“Once this port is built, factories will surely be constructed next to the port. That means jobs. That means big earnings,” he said.

The transport chief allayed concerns that the port would cause traffic in Bauan, explaining that it would even decongest vessel traffic in Manila and Batangas ports.

“We will have an access road from this terminal directly to the Star Tollway. That’s a wide road where our trucks will fit perfectly and will not disturb the passage of Bauan residents,” he said.

The LICT is expected to be completed by end-2027, with operations slated to begin by early 2028. Once completed, the international container terminal will be able to accommodate some 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year, including those from mega-vessels.