THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it is putting up for auction at least 10 more port terminal projects until 2022.
“This year, until the end of the term of the present administration in 2022, the PPA is looking at bidding out at least 10 more terminals to guarantee that ports continue to provide services at par with global best practices for years to come,” the agency said in a recent statement posted on its Facebook page.
“Since the PPA started bidding out 15-year port terminal management contracts under the PTMRF (Port Terminal Management Regulatory Framework) pursuant to PPA Administrative Orders 03-2016 and 12-2018, PPA has been able to bid out 11 terminals. Out of these, 9 contracts have been awarded for the ports of Ormoc, Puerto Princesa, Calapan, Legazpi, Tabaco, Iligan, Ozamiz, Zamboanga and Tacloban,” the agency added.
The agency has received unsolicited proposals from three companies — Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), and Kudos Trucking Corp. — for port developments in Iloilo, Davao, and General Santos.
The proposals were being evaluated by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said on Sept. 13.
But such companies had “concerns about the (length of the process and the approaching) election ban, so we are discussing other options,” he said.
One alternative, Mr. Santiago said, is for the PPA to bid out some of its terminals.
Chelsea was awarded original proponent status in 2019 for its unsolicited offer to modernize Davao City’s Sasa Port.
In 2018, ICTSI submitted an unsolicited proposal to develop the Iloilo Port Complex and the Port of Dumangas.
Davao-based Kudos Trucking Corp. also submitted in 2018 its unsolicited offer for the General Santos Port. — Arjay L. Balinbin
