MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will open the third component of the "Strong Republic Nautical Highway" with a roll-on-roll-off (RORO) caravan at the Central Nautical Highway that starts Monday.
A Malacañang statement said the caravan will kick off at Bulan town in Sorsogon in Luzon and will go all the way to Misamis Oriental in Mindanao.
"The Central Nautical Highway Roll-on-Roll-off is the central trunk route connecting the province of Sorsogon to Balingoan in Misamis Oriental, passing through Central Visayas and connecting to the east-west trunk routes of Cawayan in Masbate, Bogo Port in central Cebu, Tubigon Port in Bohol, then to Jagna Port also in Bohol, and to the Mambajao Port in Camiguin," the Palace statement said.
On Monday, President Arroyo is expected to send off the RORO caravan that will test the viability of the nautical highway at the Bulan Port and Cawayan Port.
She will join the caravan at key points, including the part between Jagna Port in Bohol and Mambajao Port in Camiguin province.
While the caravan sails to the Bohol Sea Tuesday, she will preside over the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Cabinet Group meeting.
The caravan ends Wednesday, April 30, in Cagayan de Oro City with the holding of the Central Philippines SRNH Conference.
SRNH, an integrated set of highway segments and ferry routes, combined with road and ferry routes not formally part of SRNH, is touted as one of Arroyo's legacy projects aiming to spur economic development in the countryside.
It links the island provinces through an efficient transport system that would enhance access to tourist areas throughout the country; and offers an alternate route for the flow of agricultural products at a lesser cost.
It brings development closer to the provinces that will connect the market of Luzon to the agricultural production centers of Mindanao.
Traveling by Ro-Ro reduces the cost of travel by 37 to 43 percent for passengers, and 24 to 34 percent for cargo when compared to both sea and air travel.
It also reduces travel time by 10 to 12 hours when compared to ordinary sea travel.
SRNH is a 919-km (land) and 137 nautical mile (sea) transportation infrastructure that includes the Western Nautical Highway linking Manila and Dipolog City in Mindanao, and the Eastern Nautical Highway or the eastern sea link connecting Biliran in Leyte to Surigao City.