PPA earmarks P831M to build three ports
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has lined up P831 million worth of port expansion projects in Oriental Mindoro, Camiguin, and Dinagat Islands to support an expected surge in passenger volume this year.
The ports regulator, in a public notice inviting bidders, has allotted P441.34 million for the San Jose port expansion project in the province of Dinagat Islands. Interested parties can submit their proposals until Feb. 5.
The Roxas port expansion project in Oriental Mindoro, meanwhile, has a budget of P262.97 million. Contractors looking at building this terminal have until Feb. 4 to submit their bids.
The Guinsiliban port expansion project in Camiguin has a budget of P126.74 million. The deadline for bid submission is on Jan. 31.
READ: PPA: Passenger, cargo activity at seaports revving up
Article continues after this advertisementThe winning concessionaire will be tasked with excavation works and the construction of the port’s operational area.
Article continues after this advertisementBefore these projects, the PPA was already working on developing a master plan to establish 10 new seaports across the country to improve connectivity and supply chain.
These terminals are to rise in Davila, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte; Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Taytay, Palawan; Buenavista, Guimaras; San Carlos, Negros Occidental; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; Lazi, Siquijor; Catbalogan, Samar; and Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Sur.
Increasing traffic
This year, the ports regulator estimates that passenger volume at sea terminals will reach over 85.4 million.
Achieving this projection will exceed the traffic in 2019, or before the pandemic when mobility was curtailed. Back then, passenger volume reached 83.72 million.
However, the figures went down to 24.89 million in 2020 as shipping operations were limited to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The maritime sector has been restoring its activities since the lifting of the pandemic lockdown. In fact, passenger volume rose to 73.64 million last year but was still below the 2019 level.
From January to September last year, the PPA saw passenger traffic grow by 10 percent to 60.47 million from 54.83 million in the same period a year earlier.
