SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Feb. 17 (PIA) -- Instead of the usual flowers and chocolates, Surigaonons get some love in the form of vital infrastructure as the Port Management Office (PMO) of Surigao formally inaugurates its newly-refurbished access gate at the Port of Surigao on lover's day here.

With a modern design inspired by ocean waves and paintwork dominated by light, airy pastel shades of blue and yellow, the new gate serves as the main access portal for vehicles traversing the picturesque city boulevard that matches the scenic ambience of the popular seaside promenade.

Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)-PMO Surigao acting port manager Froilan U. Caturla said the gate is primarily designated as the main entry and exit points for cargo trucks and as an exit route for disembarked passengers from ships docked at RORO Berth No. 1 and adjacent berths and the access facility has entry and exit gates each measuring six meters wide, more than enough to accommodate most cargo trucks and prime movers.

He said it is equipped with electronically controlled gate barriers for authenticated and safe vehicle access, closed-circuit television (CCTV) system with cameras installed at strategic points for 24/7 video surveillance monitoring complements a guardhouse for optimum security.

Caturla added that it is an improved version of the previous gate found to be prone to cause vehicle damage due to a limited turning path. The new facility is situated farther inside or around 18 meters from the access road and has a trailer turning radius of 22.9 meters which is more than adequate to safely maneuver an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer.

The Gate no. 1 improvement project is part of the initiatives of PPA general manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago to modernize port facilities and be at par with global standards.

The project started in October 2019 and was finished three months after, way ahead of the 180 days implementation schedule. (Nole C. Nusog, PPA-PMO Surigao/PIA-Surigao del Norte)