State-run Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has earmarked P624 million for the rehabilitation and expansion of seaports in Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Legazpi City in Albay, and Culasi in Roxas City.
PPA is inviting interested companies to submit bids for the P316.94-million project to expand the Port of Puerto Princesa.
The agency is also spending P157.82 million for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the damaged wharf at the Legazpi base port in Albay.
Interested investors have until May 28 to submit their bids for both projects.
Likewise, PPA allocated another P149.16 million for the widening of the reinforced concrete wharf and the relocation of the roll-on/roll-off (Roro) ramp at the Port of Culasi in Roxas City.
The agency gave investors until May 29 to submit their bids.
The PPA will conduct an open competitive bidding using the non-discretionary pass or fail criteria specified under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Philippine cargo volume went up 4.6 percent to 211.2 million metric tons last year from 201.9 million metric tons in 2013 despite the congestion at the Manila International Container Terminal of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Manila South Harbor of Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI).
Data showed that cargo shipped out of the Philippines grew 7.4 percent to 133.29 million metric tons last year from 124.05 million metric tons in 2013 as imports increased 11.3 percent to 67.56 million metric tons while exports inched up 3.77 percent to 65.73 million metric tons.
Cargo shipped within the Philippines was almost flat at 77.91 million metric tons last year from 77.86 million metric tons in 2013 while container volume went up by four percent to 5.43 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 5.23 million TEUs. (Ast)
