The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is allotting P500 million for the construction and upgrade of the Ormoc, Tabaco City in Albay, and Iloilo ports.
The P109.9-million Ormoc project, located in the Visayas island grouping south of the capital Manila, involves construction of additional back-up area covering 3,791 cubic meters, including a roll on-roll off ramp to accommodate projected vessel traffic increase to 1,533 within five years from the current 1,095 vessels.
An additional 3,653 cubic meters of cargo-handling space will be added to the Tabaco City port, 550 kilometers south of Manila, to enable faster cargo off-loading and boarding. The project is estimated to cost P83.7 million.
The Iloilo Commercial Port Complex, also in the Visayas island grouping, will be upgraded by constructing an additional 13,720 cubic meters of cargo-handling space to accommodate increased output arising from closure of berths along Iloilo River. Project cost is P307.6 million.
In a separate development, the National Economic and Development Authority Investment Coordinating Committee Technical Board has approved the P7.9-billion Road Transport IT Project that will integrate the IT systems of Land Transportation Office offices nationwide, and operations of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Of the total project cost, P3 billion will be funded locally and the rest (meant for operations and project maintenance) bidded out to an IT provider for a five-year period.
Project bid will be announced this month or next. Awarding is expected in April.
