President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered the construction of additional ports around Lake Lanao to enhance connectivity among the 18 surrounding municipalities and boost local economic activity.
President Marcos issued the directive during his inspection of the newly constructed PhP261 million Marawi City Port.
“Dito naman sa port, we know how important the port is to the surrounding 18 municipalities that are around Lake Lanao,” President Marcos said in a statement during the port visit.
“This is the first of several ports that we will put up. Pagka ito lang, walang connectivity, hindi magagamit dahil walang pupuntahan ‘yung barko. So, we will put others around the lake para maganda ‘yung connectivity natin,” the President added.
The second largest lake in the Philippines and the largest freshwater lake, Lake Lanao, plays a vital role in the socio-economic and cultural life of the Maranao people.
Its waters are used for generating hydroelectric power, supplying 70% of Mindanao’s electricity, and for supporting fisheries, agriculture, and tourism.
President Marcos said he was happy to see that the government is making progress in the Marawi City rehabilitation efforts “after such a long time.”
The port construction was funded by the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) under the then Task Force Bangon Marawi.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), which was part of the task force, contributed to the design and implementation of the project.
The Marawi City Port passenger terminal can accommodate around 130 passengers, while the cargo section can handle both fishery and agricultural products coming to and from Marawi City.
With the port’s completion and eventual operation, project proponents expect a reduced travel time from Marawi City to municipalities located on the other side of Lake Lanao.
The Marawi City government is now inviting ferry services to invest in the lake’s transportation system.
With increased and better cargo handling capacity, port officials expect more products to come in, especially agricultural and fishery goods. | PND
