ILOILO City – A new cruise ship terminal will attract more port calls in this city, according to Mayor Jose “Joe” Espinosa III.
Espinosa is proposing to establish a terminal facility for cruise ships at Fort San Pedro in City Proper.
The mayor said he already discussed the proposal with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
“Ginaplanuhan nga mahimo kita isa ka terminal for cruise ship diri sa may Fort San Pedro kay daku na nga improvement, especially since we are a port city just like Yokohama, Osaka in Japan,” Espinosa stressed.
During the two-day highlights of the 51st Dinagyang Festival, around 700 Japanese tourists on board cruise ship MV Pacific Venus visited Iloilo.
They witnessed the Kasadyahan competition and visited some tourist destinations in Iloilo province and nearby Guimaras Island.
“We can improve the docking facility. Kay didto gin-check naton ang ila, actually kung sa diin didto sila nag-dock – that is for cargo, indi na ya for people,” Espinosa said, referring to the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex in Barangay Loboc, Lapuz district where MV Pacific Venus docked.
The mayor is optimistic that the maiden visit of the Japanese luxury ship will attract more cruise visits in Iloilo City.
“I hope more cruise ships will be coming because gin-invite ko gid ang captain sang cruise ship and big help gid na nga ma-relay niya sa iban na mga cruise ship captains na maayo ang siyudad ta nga kadtuan,” he added.
Earlier, Iloilo City Tourism and Development Office head Junel Ann Divinagracia stressed importance of the maiden cruise trip.
Divinagracia said the city “wanted to make a very good impression so we would realize our dream to make Western Visayas a cruise ship destination.”
She added that appropriate assistance was extended to the guests, especially the senior citizens.
“We would like to show them that they are very much welcome here in our city,” Divinagracia said./PN
