• CHERYL G. CRUZ
An agricultural port, worth P1 billion, is being eyed in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, with initial works expected in the second half of 2026, Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said during his visit to the city Oct. 30.
Tiu Laurel, who was guest of honor at the launching of Land Bank’s Agrisenso Plus lending program in Cadiz, said the city’s port will be expanded to accommodate more cargoes ferrying not just fish, but also agri products, such as sugar, fertilizer, and coffee, among others.
He said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to make logistics more efficient for farmers and fisherfolk, and noted the strategic location of Cadiz, with goods that could directly be shipped to Batangas and vice versa, rather than via Bacolod.
This would do away with traffic jams and truck ban, Tiu Laurel said, adding the agri-port will benefit not just Cadiz and neighboring areas but the whole Negros Occidental.
Around P250 million will be earmarked next year, and P750 million in 2027, he added.
The DA also announced plans to modernize the country’s major fish ports under the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), and turn traditional fishing hubs into modern agri-fishery business centers that create jobs, attract investments, and cultivate a new generation of entrepreneurs.
Tiu Laurel said in a DA press release that the modernization includes upgrade of ports, cold storage facilities, and logistics systems to make fish landing sites more competitive and resilient amid typhoons, rising fuel costs, and global market shifts. | CGC
