Manila: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will open two roll on-roll off (RO-RO) ports in the provinces of Southern Leyte and Biliran in the Eastern Visayas next week as scheduled, a Malacañang official said.
The President will push through with the visit even as she mourns the death of eight aides from a helicopter crash in Ifugao province last week, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nierras said in a telephone interview on Monday.
"While [Arroyo] has to pause for a moment, the President has to move on with her schedules," Nierras said.
Nierras said the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) assured her on Monday morning that the President's trip to the region would proceed as scheduled.
The President has been scheduled to open on April 16 the two RO-RO ports located in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte and in Kawayan, Maripipi and Naval towns in Biliran province, she said.
The two ports would help reduce travel time and cost to and from the region, she said.
The Biliran port would mean less travel time for the Masbate-Panay and Luzon destinations, while the Southern Leyte port would cut travel time for those going to Mindanao, she said.
The operations of these two ports would also help the region's tourism industry, she added. [14/04/09]
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