/PNA
MANILA — New Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) missionary routes have been opened to provide one or more direct points connecting ports that have no existing shipping services due to geographical limitation.
The following are the new missionary routes open for interested shipping companies:
1) Basco, Batanes – Currimao, Ilocos Norte
2) Batangas City – San Jose, Occidental Mindoro
3) San Juan, Batangas – Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro
4) Real, Quezon – Polillo Island, Quezon
5) Lucena, Quezon – Odiongan, Romblon
6) Lucena, Quezon – Buyabod, Marinduque
7) Lucena, Quezon – Romblon, Romblon
8) Lucena, Quezon – Masbate City
9) Maasin, Southern Leyte – Ubay, Bohol
10) San Narciso, Quezon – San Pascual, Masbate
11) Pantao, Albay – San Pascual, Masbate
12) Calbayog City, Samar – Cataingan, Masbate
13) Taytay, Palawan – Cuyo, Palawan
14) Cuyo, Palawan – San Jose de Buenavista, Antique
15) Oslob, Cebu – Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
16) Punta Engano, Mactan Island, Cebu – Jetafe, Bohol
17) Poro, Camotes, Cebu – Isabel, Leyte
18) Lipata, Surigao del Norte – Dapa, Surigao del Norte
19) Siaton, Negros Oriental – Dipolog City
In a statement Monday, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) encouraged shipping companies to operate in any of the newly-opened missionary routes in support of the enhancement of the country’s Road RoRo terminal system to improve inter-island transportation, enhance tourism, and expand regional markets.
Shipping firms that are interested to operate along the new routes may file their applications to MARINA. They may also propose routes that are capable to be served by RoRo ports.
The routes will become operational once a qualified applicant was determined based on evaluation of its documents and has been issued the necessary permits by MARINA.
The opening of the new routes comes after House of Representatives Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to review and revise its proposed development plan of the RoRo transport system.
Arroyo has asked the department to give missionary routes to shipping lines to address the problem of unserved ports due to lack of operators.
