• THERESA MAE DULMAN
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said yesterday that the modernized P560 million Port of Banago in Bacolod City, is the new standard design for ports around the country.
The initiative by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has transformed the Banago Port with upgraded facilities, which is capable of accommodating up to 500 passengers.
“The reason is to have this standard design, so that the passengers will know where to buy tickets, where to enter and exit, and where to pass, wherever terminal they are,” Marcos Jr. said.
The project, which began in August 2022, became operational October 2025.
PPA General Manager Jay Santiago highlighted the key additions, including a new three-story Port Operations Building and Passenger Terminal Building, an expanded roll-on/roll-off marshalling yard that can accommodate trucks, and access roads widened to four lanes.
A free shuttle service that can accommodate 40 passengers from the passenger terminal is also available.
Two shipping lines, Seen Sam Shipping Inc. and FastCat, with main routes to Panay Island, are currently operating in the port.
According to PPA, the upgraded port with the land area of 11,334.35 square meters is expected to significantly boost trade, mobility, tourism, and overall economic productivity in the Visayas, supporting crucial traffic for sugar, rice, and corn transport.
“It’s always about connectivity and mobility of the passengers. The Philippines has a lot of islands and it shows the importance of ports,” Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Lawyer Giovanni Lopez said.*
