Philippines Transportations    

Transportation in the Philippines


Land Transportation


 Railways

Rail transport in the Philippines is a growing means of transportation for passengers and cargo in the country. Such means of transportation are used typically used for rapid transport within major cites as well as long distance travel.

In Metro Manila, illegal squatters living beside the national railway tracks have for nearly two decades hampered maintenance work and stalled modernization efforts.

There are over 900 kilometers of track already built in the country.

Most are on Luzon, operated by the Philippine National Railways. The main line is from Manila south to the Bicol Region. The railways' narrow gauge (1067 mm), 492 km (an additional 405 km are not in operation) (2001)


Elevated Mass Railway Systems (Greater Manila Area)

• Light Rail Transit (LRT-1/Metrorail/Yellow Line), from Monumento, Caloocan City to Baclaran, Parañaque City.
• Light Rail Transit (LRT-2/Megatren/Purple Line), from Santolan, Marikina City to Avenida, Manila.
• Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3/Metrostar/Blue Line), from North Avenue, Quezon City to Taft Avenue, Pasay City.

Highways

• Total: 199,950 km
• Paved: 39,590 km
• Unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.)

Main Highways

• Pan Philippine Highway (Maharlika Highway)
• North Luzon Expressway, from Balintawak, Quezon City in Metro Manila to Santa Ines, Pampanga.
• South Luzon Expressway, from Taguig City in Metro Manila to Calamba City in Laguna.
• Metro Manila Skyway, an elevated tollway that complements with the South Luzon Expressway and runs from Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. (Buendia) in Makati City to Bicutan, Parañaque City
• Manila-Cavite Expressway (Manila Coastal Road), from Parañaque City in Metro Manila to Bacoor, Cavite
• Manila North Road (MacArthur Highway)
• Epifanio de los Santos Avenue

Pipelines

Petroleum products: 357 km


Water Transportation


Ports and Harbors

The main gateway to the Philippines through the sea is in the Port of Manila and the Eva Macapagal Port Terminal, all in the pier area of Manila. Other cities with bustling ports and piers include Batangas City, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao City, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay Freeport, Zamboanga, Matnog, Allen, Ormoc, and Dalahican. Most of these terminals comprise the Strong Republic Nautical Highway, a nautical system conceptualized under the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo where land vehicles can use the 24-hour Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ship service to traverse the different islands of the country at minimal costs.


Merchant marine

• Total: 480 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,973,024 GRT/9,025,087 DWT

Ships by type

• Bulk 159, cargo 122, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 9, container 7, liquified gas 13, livestock carrier 9, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 47, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off 19, short-sea passenger 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 20 (1999 est.)

Note: a flag of convenience registry: Japan owns 19 ships, Hong Kong 5, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 1, Netherlands 1, Singapore 1, and UK 1 (1998 est.)


Waterways

• 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels.

Air Transportation


Airports

Quantity: 266 (1999 est.)

with paved runways: 76

• over 3,047 m: 4
• 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
• 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
• 914 to 1,523 m: 31
• under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)

with unpaved runways: 190

• 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
• 914 to 1,523 m: 66
• under 914 m: 121 (1999 est.)

International Gateways

• Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Manila)
• Mactan-Cebu International Airport (Cebu City)
• Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao City)
• Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark Special Economic Zone, Pampanga)
• Subic Bay International Airport (Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales)
• Laoag International Airport (Laoag, Ilocos Norte)
• General Santos International Airport (General Santos City)
• Zamboanga International Airport (Zamboanga City)

Heliports

• Quantity: 1 (1999 est.)

Local Airlines

• Philippine Airlines (national flag carrier)
• Air Philippines
• Cebu Pacific
• Asian Spirit
• South East Asian Airlines (Seair)
• Laoag International Airlines
• Interisland Airlines