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Thursday, May 12, 2011

Pangasinan mayors bare inter-province ferry system plan

DAGUPAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) --- Two Pangasinan mayors have bared their plans to establish a ferry system that will provide water transportation between the province and La Union.

The system is intended to shorten travel time between major cities and municipalities in Region I along the Lingayen Gulf, with possible ports in here and in Alaminos, and in Agoo town and San Fernando City in La Union.

Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza said the ferry system will facilitate economic development in his city as it will encourage more tourists and investors to visit his place especially the famous Hundred Islands.

Alaminos City is practically isolated due to distance, preventing potential visitors have to travel circuitous routes to reach the place.

“I hope Alaminos, and the province as well, will open it for commercial traffic. That will hopefully become a reality if we can put up major infrastructures. It is the only way that Alaminos can attain economic development and to help the province.” he said during the Meet the Press forum of the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (PATRIMA) Wednesday at the Jollibee in Lucao.

“Once completed it will draw more investments for the province and create more opportunities for the people,” he added.

Braganza cited the cities of Cebu and Davao as example of cities which have reached substantial economic progress by having basic infrastructures.

He explained that “this is the main reason why we asked the national government to build the first commercial airport in the city of Alaminos.”

Braganza complimented, Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim “for having the same vision.”

Lim presented to the media the design of a catamaran that will be used as the main ferrying seacraft. “The two-hulled water vehicle can seat 102 passengers, four medium-sized vehicles and six tons of cargoes,” he said.

Lim noted that the Manaoag Shrine is the only easily-accessed place in Pangasinan. Other tourist destinations in the province will be more accessible once the ferry system is completed, he said.

He said that a port will be constructed near the historic Franklin Bridge in barangay Pantal tor the purpose. He disclosed that he, Braganza and San Fernando Mayor Pablo Ortega will meet soon to discuss the plan.

Lim also discussed his idea of the possible construction of a west-bound highway connecting to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX). “Ang dapat pag-usapan ng ating provincial government, congressmen ay kung paano iku-connect ‘yong TPLEX to the west,” he said.

Lim sees the TPLEX as progenitor of economic development in areas traversed by it. “We have to catch up with the development,” he said.

On the ferry system, Braganza said, “I promise my constituents that this dream will come true before the end of my term.”

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