SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The upgrading of the over P284 million town fish port in this capital town of Antique is expected to be completed in May this year.

“There is now around 62 percent accomplishment on the construction of a causeway and piling of concrete for the pier,” Darcy Bungay, San Jose de Buenavista Municipal Economic Enterprise and Development Officer (MEEDO), said in an interview on Wednesday.

The fish port upgrading is funded by the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rural Development Project, with a P28 million or 10 percent counterpart from the local government unit (LGU).   

“The fish port could accommodate commercial vessels once it is completed,” Bungay said.

MEEDO resident engineer Rhea Joy Sibugan said there will be roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ramps that would enable commercial vessels to easily transfer their fish catch to the pier.

“The upgraded fish port could also accommodate RoRo vessels because of the increased draft in the berthing area,” she said.

The causeway and pier construction could also serve as protection for the fishing vessels during inclement weather.

Once upgraded, the local government of San Jose de Buenavista will require fishing vessels with two gross tons and above to dock and unload at the port as part of regulating fishing boat operations.