PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of the Batangas Port Passenger Terminal Building in Batangas.

This is the biggest, busiest and most modern PTB in the Philippines.

“Simula pa noon, malaki na ang papel ng pantalang ito sa negosyo, turismo, agrikultura, at ekonomiya, hindi lamang sa mga kalapit na rehiyon, kundi sa buong Pilipinas,” Marcos said.

“With the large volume of trade and passengers that it handles, the port of Batangas is so crucial that economic planners have underscored the importance of the continuous expansion of this major transportation hub to support the country’s economic transformation,” Marcos said.

The PTB of Batangas Port is the most modern PTB in the ports managed by the PPA under its terminal operator Asian Terminal Incorporated (ATI). It connects mainland Luzon to MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marin Duque, Romblon, at Palawan), to loilo, Negros, Cebu, and Mindanao via fast crafts, ferries, and roll-on/ ships.

“It is a gateway to the nation’s dynamic capital region, a portal to agricultural powerhouses, access point to island tourism paradises, and a receiver of goods that fill and fuel the vibrancy of our economy,” Marcos said.

“This upgraded terminal building can now accommodate 8,000 passengers, which is much larger that what it–compared to its previous capacity of 2,500. This increases the Batangas Port’s annual passenger capacity from four million to 12.8 million,” Marcos said.

The PTB has a multi-level car storage facility that can take on 13,000 vehicles.

“Today, we are inaugurating the bigger and the better passenger terminal to fully unlock the potential of the places and the people that this port serves. In so doing, we validate its status, not as a provincial port, but as a port of national significance,” Marcos said.

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Chona Yu