Norway’s advanced transport infrastructure present “valuable models” to the Philippines even as Department of Transportation (DOTr) seeks more collaboration with the European country to improve the Philippines’ transportation systems, Secretary Jaime Bautista said Thursday, 13 October 2022.
At the Philippines-Norway Maritime and Energy Conference, Secretary Bautista said Norway’s advanced public transport infrastructure—roads, railways, and aviation—is subsidized by its government.
“We certainly can learn much from the Norwegian model—much of your infrastructure is publicly owned, while operations are performed by private companies,” Secretary Bautista explained, adding that the Philippines is heading towards the same direction.
“You already enjoy a high-speed railway line. It is also worth emulating that you rail transits are operated by the counties with its ticketing system already integrated into the bus transport,” he added.
On Wednesday, Secretary Bautista welcomed the Norweigan Statsraad Lehmkuhl, where Filipino seafarers will undergo training aboard the modern vessel.
Docked at the Port of Manila, the Norweigan three-masted rigged sail training vessel Statsraad Lehmkuhl serves as a floating university/training vessel for maritime students. The six Filipino crew on board represent the over 20,000 seafarers from the country on board Norwegian-owned and operated vessels.
The vessel is currently on a global navigation around the world under ‘One Ocean Expedition,’ a global campaign that shares knowledge about the importance of the ocean in achieving sustainable development for the future.
