TIEZA plans P47.1-M floating docks

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is planning to install three floating docks worth P47.1 million in San Antonio, Zambales, to improve tourist access to the town’s coastal attractions.

TIEZA general manager Mark Lapid and San Antonio Mayor Arvin Antipolo inspected proposed installation sites in Barangays San Miguel and Pundaquit.

Lapid said the modular floating docks are intended to improve maritime safety, make it easier for tourists to board boats and reduce the carbon footprint associated with permanent concrete structures.

The facilities are designed to serve passengers and small craft, particularly those used for island-hopping trips.

“Once the floating drydock is fully operational, it will be a great comfort to our tourists because they will no longer have to tread on water while boarding the boats during their island-hopping adventures,” Lapid said.

He said the project could help increase tourist arrivals, create jobs and generate additional income for local farmers, fisherfolk, resort workers and other residents.

Antipolo said he hoped implementation could begin in the first quarter of 2027, in time for the peak tourist season.

He also urged TIEZA to establish a one-stop tourism complex featuring a replica of the Capones lighthouse, a mall and a center intended to promote local livelihoods.