December 10, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will close the year investing nearly half a billion pesos for the rehabilitation of ports in Catanduanes and Negros Occidental.
In a series of invitations to bid, the PPA said it is looking for contractors for the Virac Port Rehabilitation and Improvement Project and the San Carlos Port Improvement Project.
The PPA will spend P120.07 million for the upgrade of the Port of Virac in Catanduanes, which serves as the main gateway to the easternmost island of the Bicol Region.
The project involves clearing, demolition, removal and excavation works and the reconstruction of the damaged roll-on, roll-off ramp. It also mandates the contractor to build a new RORO ramp and port operational area, on top of reconstructing the damaged breakwater.
For this project, the PPA is giving the winning bidder 450 days to complete it. As scheduled, the agency will close the bidding and open the proposals on Dec. 19.
Likewise, the PPA is pursuing the P351.93-million enhancement of the Port of San Carlos in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
The project, estimated to be completed within 630 days, covers the upgrade of RORO ramps and the redevelopment of the port’s wharf.
Similar to the Port of Virac contract, the PPA is slated to close submissions and open the bids for the San Carlos Port Improvement Project on Dec. 19.
Based on its annual report, the PPA will undertake 84 projects this year requiring total funding of P28.59 billion. Aside from this, the agency is poised to finish 29 projects within 2024, costing P8.65 billion.
For 2024, the pipeline should add nine dedicated ramps for RORO vessels and nearly 4,000 seats for passengers. For logistics, the projects would introduce additional backup area of about 92,000 square meters and extended berths of more than 1,000 meters.
The PPA is committed to investing as much as P16 billion to deliver 14 big-ticket projects until the end of the Marcos administration, aimed at speeding up both cargo and passenger transport.
Specifically, the agency is focused on improving port infrastructure in the regions to bolster their economic viability by enhancing their connectivity to other parts of the archipelago.
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