The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) have completed 14 port projects while 22 more are set to be finished and inaugurated within the year.
These projects will boost operational capability of ports, particularly with the near resumption of inter-island passenger travel and movement of essential goods, PPA said in a statement.
PPA general manager Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago said that while the completed projects had encountered some delays due to the imposition of community quarantines to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) nationwide, the contractors were still able to deliver the projects within the allowable period.
“What is more important is these projects were completed without any COVID-19 casualty since we were able to implement the necessary safety measures immediately,” Santiago said.
“We will continue this practice of ‘new normal’ in the completion of several projects already in the pipeline in order to meet local and global trade and tourism demands of the future while making sure that our workers are safe amid the continuing threat of the global health pandemic,” Santiago added.
The completed projects, which were virtually inaugurated on June 12, were in the following ports:
- Port of Borac in Coron, Palawan
- Port of Cawit in Boac, Marinduque
- Port of Estancia in Iloilo
- Port of Iligan in Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte
- Port of Jagna in Bohol
- Port of Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro
- Port of Ozamiz in Misamis Occidental
- Port of San Fernando in El Nido, Palawan
- Port of Tagbilaran in Bohol
- Port of Malalag in Davao del Sur
- Port of Currimao in Ilocos Sur
- Port of Masao in Agusan del Norte
- Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (two separate projects)
The other projects set to be finished at the end of 2020 include:
- Rehabilitation and upgrade of Pier 18 in Vitas, Tondo, Manila;
- Construction of Port Operations Building in Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro;
- Balanacan Port Expansion Project in Marinduque;
- Construction of reinforced concrete (RC) pier and roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) ramp at the port of Bansud in Oriental Mindoro;
- Construction of back-up area at the Port of Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro;
- Construction of Ro-Ro ramp and expansion project at the Port of Bulan in Sorsogon;
- Construction of the Coastal Access Road project at the Port of Calapan;
- Port expansion project of Port of Capinpin;
- Reconstruction of the Carmen Port in San Agustin, Romblon;
- Cobo Port Construction Project in Cobo, Catanduanes;
- Construction of Port Operations Buildings in the ports of Coron, Currimao, Masbate, Mauban in Quezon, and Talaga in Mabini, Batangas;
- Port rehabilitation and upgrading of RC wharf at the Port of Legazpi;
- Port expansion projects in Matnog, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Salomague in Ilocos Sur, Tablas in Romblon, and Pasig; and
- Rehabilitation of the Port of Tabaco in Albay
“With the continuity of these port projects through the guidance of the Department of Transportation, the country is still on its way of providing port services of global standards, which translates to comfortable lives for Filipinos,” Santiago said.
