Siaton RoRo ops rollout seen to ease truck congestion woes

BERTHING AREA. Sea vessels are docked at the Tambobo Port in Siaton, Negros Oriental on a sunny day on Friday (June 13, 2025). The port is now ready for roll-on, roll-off operations to accommodate huge trucks being diverted from the San Juanico Bridge. (Photo by Mary Judaline F. Partlow)

DUMAGUETE CITY – All is set for the start of the roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) operations at the Tambobo Port in Barangay Bonbonon, Siaton in Negros Oriental on June 20, which is seen as an immediate answer to the surge of trucks diverted from the San Juanico Bridge.

On Friday, the Tambobo Port was inaugurated ahead of the maiden voyage of the M/V Ocean 6 with the cargo vessel initially having a daily run to the Pulauan Port in Dapitan and back.

Mary Louise Macalino, port services manager and officer in charge of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Negros Oriental, said during a press conference that they will deploy people to the Tambobo Port to ensure seamless operations despite limited preparation time.

“We are glad to inform the public that anytime next week, based on the message from the shipping lines, they will be starting the first voyage of the LCT (landing craft tank) that will be deployed here at the Siaton port,” Macalino said.

Tambobo Port

PPA, which is mandated to operate the port, will provide manpower and security personnel to the Tambobo Port, although an office has yet to be established.

She assured that the port facilities, including a RoRo ramp, are ready for the first-ever trip connecting Siaton to Mindanao and vice versa.

Last year, the PPA undertook a dredging project at the entrance to the Tambobo Bay to allow bigger vessels to access the port.

Macalino said there is enough berthing space to accommodate the RoRo vessel and the fishing boats that have since been using the port.

Siaton Mayor Fritz Diaz, who is the vice governor-elect of Negros Oriental, said his administration had long since rallied PPA to dredge the channel so the port could be fully maximized, but the project was stalled due to political and environmental concerns raised by some quarters.

Diaz said he would be supporting the project even as he is set to step down as mayor at the end of June.

He is optimistic that with the Tambobo Port being fully operational in the future, it would spur economic activity and provide livelihood for his constituents and also benefit many others in the province.

Huge trucks

Edward Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI), said he is thankful to E-Motion Logistics Services for responding to the call to deploy a RoRo vessel in Siaton to decongest this capital city of huge trucks.

Du said the Ocean 6 can accommodate at least 30 trucks at one time.

“This is a classic example of the private sector responding to the call of government in times of crisis, and we hope that more vessels will be calling at Tambobo Port in the future,” he said.

Du also thanked the Maritime Industry Authority for acting immediately on the request for a Certificate of Public Conveyance for Ocean 6 to ply the Siaton (Tambobo Port) to Dapitan City (Pulauan Port).

Meanwhile, a temporary holding area for trucks has already been identified near the Tambobo Port.

Several trucks have already lined up for the maiden voyage of the Ocean 6 next week.

Du said online booking with the use of QR Codes is being utilized by the shipping line to ensure that everyone would be accommodated and to avoid unnecessary long queues of trucks coming to Negros Oriental en route to Mindanao.

The imposition of a 3-ton load limit on San Juanico Bridge in May 2025 due to structural concerns caused significant logistical disruptions in the nearby provinces, including Negros Oriental.