PBBM aims to build Ilocos Norte Transportation Hub

By Edison Justin B. Deus

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte  -- President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. committed to building the Ilocos Norte transportation hub and other critical projects in provinces during his first State of the Nation Address July 25, citing  need to improve road and transportation systems in the country.
    He said among his plans to boost the country’s economic recovery was streamlining road and transportation systems in key cities, particularly through  establishment of the Ilocos Norte transportation hub, Cebu bus rapid transit, Davao high priority bus system and El Nido transport terminal.
     The Ilocos Norte transportation hub, which features an intermodal terminal and a multi-level parking building, is a big ticket project of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte under the leadership of Gov. Matthew J. Manotoc.
    The provincial government through Metro Ilocos Norte Council had lobbied for its establishment with the national government, citing the project’s potential to bring economic, social and environmental benefits to the province.
    It has already secured initial funding of P380 million from the Dept. of Transportation.
     The one-hectare Transportation Hub, which will be built here, will serve thousands of public utility drivers and operators of jeepneys, buses, taxis, vans, and tricycles, and the public who commute, by providing interconnectivity, reducing congestion in the city center, and serving as  transfer point for passengers.
    "The provincial government sustains its thrust in ensuring the recovery of all its sectors by actively coordinating with government institutions for the realization of its numerous development projects amid the Covid-19 pandemic," Manotoc said.
    With the commitment of President Marcos to build more projects, the provincial government is hopeful of securing funding for its other high-impact infrastructure projects.