DOTr working closely with US to improve transportation system

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Transportation is working closely with the US government to identify areas of cooperation to improve the country’s transport systems across its four sectors, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

Bautista said the US support to the Philippines, especially in the aspect of transportation, is vital to the country to enable it to unleash its economic potential.

“We would like to get support especially in areas where the US is very much advanced. The DOTr is hoping that we can get support and advice from the US to improve our transport systems,” Bautista said during the first DOTr-US coordination meeting.

Tackled during the meeting were various areas of cooperation, including the tightened security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and modernization of regional airports, the cargo Subic-Cargo-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) railway, improvement and modernization of seaports and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and road transport initiatives.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said the US strongly supports the Philippines’ infrastructure goals and “cement the enduring value of the US-Philippine economic partnership.”

As a critical growth area, Carlson said the Luzon economic corridor will “unleash the corridor’s economic potential.”

“We truly value our strong partnership with DOTr. We’ve deepened our cooperation to support our shared goal to elevate the US-Philippines economic partnership,” Carlson said.

“One of our key goals is to cement the enduring value of the US-Philippine economic partnership,” she added.

Aside from transportation, the US Embassy in the Philippines has also been discussing valuable partnerships in education, agriculture, health, defense, trade among others departments. —/FPL (FREEMAN)