The cost of basic commodities in far-flung islands has been considerably reduced with the use of roll-on, roll-off (Roro) vessels financed by state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) under its flagship infrastructure and logistic program.

This was the assessment made by Asian Marine Transport Corporation president Raul Rodriguez whose company has benefited from the financing of Roro vessels extended by the DBP through its Sustainable Logistic Development Program (SLDP), an investment financing facility for a comprehensive and integrated transportation system as well as related infrastructure and support services.

“Asian Marine’s Roro operations have encouraged local businessmen and farmers to avail of our Roro services that paved the way in reducing their costs of doing business,” Rodriguez said during the farewell program for former DBP president and chief executive officer Reynaldo G. David held recently at the DBP headquarters in Makati City.

According to Rodriguez, the Roro has provided many benefits to small businessmen such as elimination of double handling in loading and unloading of goods; elimination of damaged and pilferage of goods; and reduction of unnecessary port congestion since goods are no longer stockpiled in the ports. He added that transport of goods via Roro has also lead to reduction of inventory and intermediation costs, resulting to faster travel of goods from farms to markets.

Rodriguez said that diesel price has been cut down from P58 to P51 a liter while a bag of cement now costs P230 from P220 in the island of Camotes, Cebu after the establishment of a Roro route linking it to Davao City in mainland Cebu.

He also cited that a liter of Coca-Cola in Cawayan, Masbate now costs P25, down from the previous P30 after the area was connected to Bogo, Cebu through the Roro. “Seafoods and livestock from Masbate have found better market prices in Cebu,” he added. Rodriguez also said that cement prices have gone down to P235 a bag in Dinagat island after the establishment of the Surigao City – Dinagat island Roro connection.

Rodriguez also said that abundant fish catch of Zamboanga Peninsula has found new and lucrative markets in Metro Manila and Cebu. He mentioned the company’s Super Shuttle Ferry which carries an average of eight fish carrier trucks daily with approximately 80,000 kilos of fish caught from Dapitan to Dumaguete and transported to Caticlan in Aklan; Roxas, Oriental Mindoro; Batangas then finally to Navotas in Metro Manila.

He said the Super Shuttle Ferry also carries two carbon dioxide tankers daily which come all the way from Bacolod to deliver carbon dioxide gas for important industries in General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro City.

Rodriguez also mentioned the Roro’s effect on tourism particularly in Camiguin, which has registered the 3rd highest growth rate in tourist arrivals in the country from 90,269 to 105, 262, or an increase of 16.61%, partly due to accessibility made possible thru the Roro connection of Jagna, Bohol to Camiguin Island.

He also said that the Roro has allowed cheaper transportation for Boholanos who can travel by bus from Manila via Leyte to Bohol and Davao to Bohol via the Surigao-Leyte Roro route.

“The infra-Visayas-Mindanao trade has now been linked via the shorter and more direct Road Roro network and has avoided the double handling or double ride to reach its financial destination,” he added.

Asian Marine is currently operating in 10 out of the 11 missionary Roro routes supported by the DBP through the Roro Terminal System component of the SLDP. The other SLDP components are the bulk grains highway which facilitates the transport if corn from Mindanao to Northern Luzon while the cold chain highway is aimed at re-engineering the logistics system for perishables.