Batanes seaport to be funded by US

MANILA, Philippines — A plan is underway to construct a United States-funded civilian port in Batanes, chosen for its strategic significance and proximity to Taiwan.

Batanes Gov. Marilou Cayco said during a Philippine Navy event over the weekend that the US Army would arrive in April to further discuss the plan that aims to accommodate Filipino workers from Taiwan in the event of a crisis.

Located less than 200 kilometers from Taiwan, Batanes holds strategic significance should a conflict ensue between China and Taiwan.

On Saturday, the Philippine Navy held a ceremony in Batanes, one of the locations for annual military drills between the Philippines and the US.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. called for the development of more structures in Batanes to increase military presence.

A Reuters report in August 2023 said the US military was in talks to develop a civilian port in the remote northernmost islands of the Philippines, a move that would boost American access to strategically located islands facing Taiwan.

Cayco said she sought funding from the US for the building of an “an alternative port” there, which was intended to assist the unloading of cargo from Manila during rough seas in the monsoon season.

The Philippines has recently ramped up its military ties with the US and allowed greater US access to local military bases.