Gov't eyes P2-B Mindoro port to cut food prices

A proposed P2-billion deepwater port in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro is being pushed by the government as a logistics investment that could help lower food prices while improving incomes for farmers and fisherfolk.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Wednesday the Abra de Ilog Deep Water Port, to be implemented by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, is meant to ease farm-to-market bottlenecks that raise food costs for consumers and cut into producers’ margins.

“Ports reduce costs, losses and delays, areas where food inflation often begins… The Abra de Ilog port is a targeted intervention to cut input and food costs by fixing logistics bottlenecks and building a more efficient gateway for agricultural trade,” Tiu Laurel said.

The port is designed to handle large vessels and move fish and agricultural products more efficiently between Mindoro, Luzon, and export markets, helping reduce logistics costs across the supply chain.

The project will include a finger pier, modern fish market, cold storage and ice plants, warehouses, wastewater treatment facilities, solar power systems, and reefer vans.

According to DA, construction, expected to take a year once approved, will also generate local jobs, while long-term operations could attract logistics firms, processors, fuel suppliers, and tourism-related businesses. 

Abra de Ilog already serves as a maritime gateway through its roll-on/roll-off link to Batangas, but limited capacity has constrained growth. 

To further strengthen logistics, attract investments, create jobs, cut production costs, boost inter-island trade, and support food security, Tiu Laurel said the DA has already mapped out plans to complete a chain of at least 10 deepwater ports nationwide.