THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has set aside P1.5 billion in capital expenditures this year to complete projects started by the previous administration as well as to improve major gateways.
In a press briefing last Friday, PPA assistant general manager for Finance and Administration Atty David Simon said apart from improvement of key ports Manila, Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, General Santos, Batangas and Iloilo, there will be no major port construction this year.
For the latter part of the year and until 2012, three projects will be implemented at Cagayan de Oro port in southern Philippines These are the paving of 20,500 square meters of newly developed operational back-up area to provide additional space for storage of container cargoes; construction of a two-storey passenger terminal building designed to accommodate 1,500 passengers at any given time; and construction of three roll on-roll off berths that would accommodate large long-haul ro-ro vessels of 6,500 to 19,000 metric tons and with a minimum draft requirement of seven meters. The projects will cost P72.21 million, P250 million and P50 million, respectively.
Cagayan de Oro port caters to an average 1,200 passengers daily during regular season and 2,500 passengers daily during peak season. It handles an average 12,500 twenty-equivalent units a month and receives seven vessels a day ranging from superferries, liners and trampers.
The wharf of Tacloban port in southern Philippines will also be expanded this year, according to PPA.
