The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is bent on expanding six major ports any way it can — either on its own, through private sector investment or a public-private partnership.
PPA assistant general manager for operations Raul Santos identified the ports as Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos and Zamboanga.
“The development of these ports by PPA or in partnership with the private sector will cover the expansion, relocation, rearrangement of existing port service facilities to handle the smooth movement of goods and passengers,” Santos said.
“Modernized passenger terminal buildings will be constructed and operationalized to offer facilities and amenities aimed at alleviating the travel woes of shippers, tourists and passengers.
“Other development works include reinforcement of cargo-handling capacity, installation of container handling equipment as well as terminal monitoring equipment and the provision of bulk cargo handling equipment, storage facilities and environmental treatment facilities at selected ports.”
For the Port of Davao, in the island of Mindanao, PPA will enlist the help of the private sector to provide crane-ready berths, shore cranes and additional spaces for container yard to boost productivity and capacity.
A P250-million passenger terminal building for Cagayan de Oro, also in the island of Mindanao, will be built to address increasing passenger volume.
At the Port of Iloilo, in Western Visayas, the container yard and back-up area for the Fort San Pedro terminal are being paved for completion by 2012. Loboc terminal, on the other hand, faces reclamation and wharf extension from 2014 to 2015.
The back-up area in Zamboanga in Mindanao is up for completion by next year. An existing reinforced concrete wharf and construction of a travelers’ hub are also programmed for 2012.
For General Santos also in Mindanao, PPA is monitoring container traffic so that planning for the necessary facilities and equipment may be considered at an early stage.
Aside from these ports, PPA has projects for smaller facilities, including Dumaguete, Legazpi, Matnog and Guadalupe, where projects range from upgrading yard rehabilitation and provision of additional berthing facilities.
Davao port, photo courtesy of International Container Terminal Services, Inc
