THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and its bulk cargo handlers are meeting on Friday to arrive at a solution that will allow Harbour Centre Port Terminals, Inc (HCPTI) to take over operations of the Naval Supply Depot (NSD).
The results of the meeting will determine whether a case will be filed by the cargo handlers against SBMA for entering into a joint agreement with HCPTI over NSD.
The cargo handlers are opposing the agreement, claiming this would ease them out. They also claimed there was no due process in the SBMA-HCPTI deal, and that the latter will monopolize operations in Subic port.
Last month, SBMA accepted the unsolicited offer of HCPTI to operate the NSD for 25 years. Cargo-handling operations at the facility—comprising the Marine Terminal as well as the Boton, Alava and Bravo piers—are handled by at least 13 firms, including Amerasia and Mega-Subic.
If no other offer to operate the NSD is received in 30 days, the contract with HCPTI will be finalized.
Under the terms of the agreement, HCPTI will pay SBMA a fee of $500,000 for the first year of operation with a provision for a gradual increase to $600,000 for the second year until the amount reaches $1.5 million a year for the 25th year.
