TRANSPORTATION

Profile

1. Land Transportation
   
   The sector plays a very vital role in the development of the city. The transportation profile of the city reveals that as of 1996, total road length is 209.791 kilometers, national roads total to 8.381kilometers, city roads with a road length of 99.05 km. and barangay roads 102.36 km. The City Government maintains the existing city roads. City roads are either concrete, gravel, earthfill or asphalt. Existing bridges total to 11. They are either bailey or reinforced concrete deck girder type.
   
   The Land Transportation Office reveals that there is a total of 3,872 vehicles registered.
   
   As of 1995 land transport operators, by category are as follows:
   PUJ - 1,643
   MCH - 1,564
   
   The homes-workplaces mal-distribution is closely tied up to transportation. Cotabato City’s origin-destination patterns point to the defects of the network system. The roads and streets, some of which were inherited from the pre-motor age, show no hierarchical pattern and continue to develop circulation networks in an unguided fashion.
   
   Transportation appears as the most dominant factor behind urban growth. Noted also is how obsolescence tends to set in rapidly along the narrow, criss-crossing streets in the city. Wider thoroughfares such as Sinsuat Avenue and Quezon Avenue are fast being lined up with factories and commercial establishments. It will also be observed that the built-up areas outside the core tend to be concentrated along the radial arterial highways. The lack of complementary measures to control land use development along these roads, seems likely that this unhealthful ribbon of stores, factories, offices, apartments along improved or new roads could continue in the future.
   
   Right now, several commercial establishments have sprouted along the National Highway particularly in the frontages of Notre Dame of Cotabato for Girls, Notre Dame Boys Department and on both sides of the National Highway before turning to Governor Guttierez Boulevard. This development all the more contributes to traffic congestion considering that the width of Sinsuat Avenue can no longer be expanded. Moreover, where some establishments along the national highway do have sufficient spaces fronting them, these are not utilized as parking spaces. Their clients used the road shoulders and road right of way. On the other hand, a joint effort of the City Government and the Department of Public Works and Highways became fruitful in the identification of T.V. Juliano Avenue as an alternate highway. Right now, construction work is on-going in upgrading said road. Another remedy to the growing traffic problem is the opening of road from Sinsuat Avenue to Notre Dame Avenue passing through Dorotheo and Oblates of Mary Immaculate properties. This Project was identified as a priority project under the 1997 Annual Investment Plan of the city.
   
   Another development in the road network system of the city is the Opening of the Cotabato City Circumferencial and Diversion Road. It stretches from Sinsuat Avenue and bisects the 129 hectares Proposed Metro Cotabato Regional Agro-Industrial Center (MCRAIC) located at Tamontaka Mother Barangay. This will run from Tamontaka - Bubong - Kalanganan on the western side and from Rosales Extension to Biniruan (Poblacion 9) to Matampay to Bolibod and to Sultan Kudarat Municipality on the eastern side.
    
2. Air Transportation
   
   Cotabato City’s air transportation needs are met by two (2) airlines. The Philippine Airlines provide daily flights to Manila via Boeing 737.
   Pacific Airways, a 12 seater aircraft flies to Lebak and Kalamansig daily. These three airlines avail of the facilities of Cotabato Airport located at Awang, Datu Odin Sisuat Municipality.
   
    
3. Water Transportation
   
   Several shipping lines provide the water transportation needs of Cotabato City and its neighboring provinces and municipalities. William Lines m/v Zamboanga travel once a week to General Santos and Manila and vice versa. Sulpicio Lines m/v Princess of the orient travels weekly to Estancia - Iloilo and Manila and vice versa. WG&A’s Super Ferry 1 & 3 travels once a week to Zamboanga and Manila and vice versa. Negros Navigation’s San Lorenzo Ruiz travels weekly to Zamboanga – Ilo-Ilo and Manila and Vice – Versa. Going to Zamboanga is made easier and faster with the entry of fast craft vessel company serving Cotabato – Zamboanga route and vice – versa.
   
   The Cotabato City Wharf accommodates small vessels plying to Pagadian, Kalamansig, Lebak and Milbuk. These shipping lines include, Norhaina transport Co. Inc., ML Norhana, ML Norolhaya, Aida VI & VII Shipping Lines and Carolyn I shipping Lines. Recently, a fast seacraft vessel was inaugurated by the Honorable City Mayor bound for the BIMP-EAGA Region particularly Malaysia. This can accomodate 100 passengers.
   
    
4. Bus Terminal
   
   There are at least six (6) bus/PUJ companies serving North-bound passengers. Most notable is the North Cotabato Transport Company (NCTC) which provide 140 airconditioned and non-airconditioned buses, bound for Davao passing through at least five to six municipalities (Pigcawayan, Midsayap, Kabacan, Matalam, Kidapawan and Digos). A new bus company- the Grand Transport Inc. emerged to serve Davao bound passengers passing through the same route. They provide 40 airconditioned and non-airconditioned buses. Places like Tapian, Taviran, Simuay, Landasan Parang & Midsayap ar served by PUJ’s, although airconditioned vehicles like Tamaraw FX and L300 also ply this route.
   
   With the construction of the Cotabato City - Parang - Malabang - Marawi road which they call the Narciso Ramos Highway, travel to the northeastern part of the region became more convenient.
   
   Cars, L300 and Tamaraw FX vehicles travel to and from this route.