THE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) recently completed the P41.211-million feeder port in Surigao del Norte.
The Socorro Bucas feeder port services both passengers and cargo, mainly agriculture and agri-business products from the mainland Dapa Town in Siargo Island and the fish port of Claver town.
The port is also expected to give tourists greater access to attractions in Bucas Grande Island such as the famous Sohoton cove.
The project was funded by a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
Surigao del Norte is one of the ten poorest provinces in the country. Government has invested in the region’s productivity through the provision of 300 composting facilities, building irrigation for 400,000 hectares in Mindanao, spending P9 billion in farm-to-market roads, and building major infrastructure such as the Surigao-Davao coastal roads and ports.
Surigao del Norte is part of Agribusiness Mindanao, one of the five super regions mapped out by the Arroyo administration in 2006 to spur the country’s economic development.
Approved investments in the Mindanao super regions more than doubled from P23.01 billion in 2007 to P79.33 billion in 2009.
The supply of commercial fisheries grew 28% from 737,600 metric tons (MT) in 2001 to 922,500 MT in 2008, accounting for 75.23% of the 1.23 million MT national production last year. Chicken and hog industries also increased 28.3% and 18.64%, respectively, from 2001 to 2009.
Total banana exports rose 13% from 418,654 MT in 2001 to 473,301 MT in 2009. Palay production increased from 3.14 million metric tons in 2001 to 3.79 million MT in 2008. This accounts for 23% of the 16.8 million MT national production in 2008. In addition, corn production went up 32% and coconut production by 19.25% in 2008.
