PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the modernized Port of Benoni on Monday, introducing infrastructure upgrades designed to reduce vessel delays and lower logistics costs along the Central Nautical Highway.
The development adds a specialized Light Craft Landing Station and a centralized Port Operations Building. These facilities structurally segregate marine traffic, moving yachts and leisure vessels to dedicated berths. This separation frees up primary berths for commercial roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels and cargo haulers, reducing harbor congestion and accelerating turnaround times.
The Port of Benoni links mainland Mindanao to Bohol. Transport operators face rising volumes, with traffic projected to reach 893,071 passengers and 174,921 vehicles by 2030. The upgrades aim to prevent bottlenecks by streamlining the movement of agricultural yields, construction materials, and consumer goods.
“For an island like Camiguin, the importance of a modern and efficient port cannot be overstated,” Marcos said. “Because this serves as a vital link that keeps people, goods, services, and therefore opportunities moving — that will enable families to return home, return to their businesses to transport their products, and for fishermen to bring their catch to the market, and tourists to enjoy this destination.”
Administratively, the new operations building functions as a one-stop shop. By housing terminal management and regulatory personnel in a single facility, the Philippine Ports Authority aims to speed up manifest filings, cargo clearances, and vessel processing. Shipping lines will gain predictable turnaround schedules and the capacity to absorb expanding trade volume across Northern Mindanao.
