Batanes ports get P1.4 billion upgrade

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January 1, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s northernmost province is receiving a P1.41-billion upgrade in its ports to enhance its connectivity with the main island of Luzon, boosting its prospects for trade and transport.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is preparing to spend up to P1.41 billion for two projects in Batanes covering the improvement of its main port and the development of a new one.

First, the agency is bidding out a P706.69-million contract for the Basco Port Improvement and Rehabilitation Project to enhance the infrastructure integrity of the Port of Basco in Batanes.

The project requires removal, disposal and excavation works, to be followed by the rehabilitation of the pier area. Afterward, the winning bidder for the project has to upgrade the port operational area and the passenger terminal building.

The PPA is giving the contractor 900 days to deliver the project. The Port of Basco is one of the most crucial infrastructures in Batanes, facilitating fishing, trading and transport.

Apart from this, the PPA is seeking a developer for the P698.46-million project to put up another port in Basco, to be located at the Valugan Boulder Bay in Barangay San Joaquin.

The contractor will be asked to build a reinforced concrete pier and set up a port operational area, equipped with stairlanding.

Similar to the Basco Port calendar, the winning bidder for this project will be given 900 days for completion.

The PPA will conduct a pre-bid conference for the contracts on Jan. 7. Afterward, the agency will close the submissions and open the proposals on Jan. 27.

Separated from the mainland Luzon, Batanes leans heavily on its airport and seaport to exchange people and goods with other regions. Last year the provincial government of Batanes reached out to the Department of Trade and Industry for help on its logistical issues.

The province is expanding its infrastructure network to address logistical bottlenecks that impact the affordability and availability of basic necessities.

The PPA, for its part, is allocating part of its profit from port management to build new terminals and refurbish existing ones so that inter-island trade and transport can pick up.