Land Transportation

Railways

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

Highways

• total: 199,950 km
• paved: 39,590 km
• unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 357 km

Water Transportation

Ports and harbors

Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga, Matnog, Allen, Ormoc, Dalahican

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
  • Manila
  • Cebu
  • Davao
  • Clark
  • Laoag

Heliports

Quantity: 1 (1999 est.)

Airlines

• Philippine Airlines (national flag carrier)
• Cebu Pacific
• Air Philippines
• Asian Spirit

History

1940

Vehicles

During this period, there were 50,000 automobiles in the region. The carabao was used as a primary transportation source.

Railways

There were 1,400 km of narrow-gauge track, owned by either the Maniacutela Railway Company (based on Luzon) or the Philippine Railway Company (an American company based in Panay and Cebu). 1,130 km of these tracks were on Luzon, with about 50% of this amount located in the central plain. In addition, there were some 400 km of privately-owned track in the central plain of Luzon. All of this, with the exception of a stretch above Manila, was single-track.

Roads

There were 22,960 km of highway in the Philippine archipelago. More than half of these roads were in central and southern Luzon and three major highways of this island were, and probably still are, Routes 1, 3, and 5. These routes were two-lane roads with concrete or asphalt surfacing. Each of these 3 roads enters the capital, Manila, and their access roads linked the various parts of the island.