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Cebu Port Authority has tapped the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region 7 for a geological site scoping of port facilities in northern Cebu affected by the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu
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The proposed scoping activity aims to assess geotechnical stability and identify potential geohazards in the identified port areas prior to rehabilitation
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Operations at CPA port terminals resumed on October 1, a day after the earthquake, but one berthing area (portion of the roll-on/roll-off ramp) in Hagnaya Port in San Remigion in northern Cebu remains unusable due to damage
The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has tapped the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region 7 (MGB 7) for a geological site scoping of port facilities in northern Cebu affected by the September 30 magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the area.
The proposed scoping activity aims to assess geotechnical stability and identify potential geohazards in the identified port areas prior to rehabilitation, ensuring the safety of both the public and port users, CPA said in a statement.
CPA led by general manager Francisco Comendador III recently met with officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 7 and its attached agency MGB 7 to discuss the need for a comprehensive geological assessment in northern Cebu ports.
In its request, CPA emphasized the importance of MGB’s immediate technical assistance in evaluating existing site conditions and identifying geological risks that could affect the rehabilitation plans and the long-term sustainability of port infrastructure.
CPA also requested that the assessment include recommendations or mitigation measures that may be necessary.
“It is very important that we are guided by the expertise of our colleagues from DENR, especially from the MGB, because there is a genuine concern that, should the hazard assessments reveal critical issues such as soil instability or the unsuitability of locations, these ports may be deemed unsafe for continued operation,” Comendador said.
“This could undermine the value of our rehabilitation efforts and, more importantly, put public safety at risk… We better know early, so we can look at other alternatives,” he added.
Cebu’s northern tip near Bogo City was struck by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the evening of September 30, causing massive infrastructure damage and power outage in several areas. Thousands of aftershocks have been recorded following the earthquake.
Immediately after the earthquake, CPA restricted access to port terminals, offices and areas with stacked containers or cargo until a full structural assessment by the CPA Engineering Services Department was completed to determine the integrity and safety of all affected facilities.
Operations at CPA port terminals resumed the next day on October 1.
However, one berthing area (portion of the roll-on/roll-off ramp) in Hagnaya Port remains unusable due to damage, prompting vessels from Island Shipping Corp. and Asian Marine Transport Corporation to utilize the remaining berths alternately.
CPA earlier said Hagnaya Port, located in the town of San Remigio in northern Cebu, will be subject to periodic inspections to assess structural integrity, and operations may be suspended depending on the evaluation.
The Cebu Port System under the CPA is composed of the following:
- Cebu Baseport, which covers the Cebu International Port and the Baseport-Domestic Zone
- Mandaue Subport – Punta Engaño and Rosa
- Danao Subport – Danao; Poro, Camotes; Sogod
- Fe Subport – Sta. Fe and Hagnaya
- Toledo Subport – Toledo and Tangil, Dumanjug
- Argao Subport – Taloot, Argao; Oslob; Samboan.
