Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to transform the Port of Pantao into an agricultural logistics hub through a P500-million expansion project that will boost incomes of fishers and farmers in this agricultural town.
During a visit to Libon on Thursday, March 13, to distribute government assistance, Tiu Laurel said funding for the Pantao port expansion and the development of post-harvest facilities has already been earmarked under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
He added that funds will also be set aside in 2027 for the construction of a farm-to-market road to improve access to the port.
Tiu Laurel said he will coordinate with Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon to fast-track repairs to the existing road linking Pantao Port to the Maharlika Highway.
Aside from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the DA will also work with the Department of Transportation and the provincial government of Albay to support the expected increase in cargo and passenger traffic once the port’s facilities are expanded.
“We need a whole-of-government effort to unlock Pantao’s potential,” Tiu Laurel said. “Better road access and post-harvest facilities such as ice plants and cold storage will allow fishers to bring their catch to more markets and earn more.”
The agriculture chief said he hopes the port expansion and road improvements can be completed by early 2028, paving the way for greater economic development in Libon and the rest of Albay.
“This will really be a major advantage for Libon once we complete the port expansion, improve the road network, and install the ice plant and other facilities,” he said. “Join us in this journey to bring greater development to Albay.”
Located along Albay’s western coastline, the Port of Pantao serves as a maritime gateway linking the Bicol Region to nearby island economies such as Masbate, as well as to the Visayas and Mindanao. While smaller than the ports of Legazpi and Tabaco, it provides an alternative route for cargo and passenger traffic bound for Southern Luzon and Metro Manila.
The roll-on/roll-off facility, owned by the Philippine Ports Authority and co-managed with the Provincial Government of Albay, reopened in August 2024 after nearly two decades of inactivity following damage from Typhoon Milenyo in 2006.
Local officials said improving road access and adding cold-chain infrastructure could transform Pantao into a regional fisheries and agricultural logistics hub while easing congestion at other Bicol ports.
