PORT AGENCY HIRES CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT

OF BULK HANDLING FACILITY IN MANILA PORT

State run Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)  has recently announced  its plan to  engage  the services of a Consultancy  Firm to undertake  the Formulation  of the Master Plan and Conduct of the Feasibility Study for the Proposed Bulk Cargo Handling Facility at the Northwest  Portion of South Harbor area adjacent  to Engineering Island  following the recent approval by the PPA Board of the Proposed Terms Of Reference of the said Project.

PPA GM Sta. Ana, in a statement, said that the need for a bulk terminal within Manila Bay cannot be overemphasized since the public and private ports in Manila do not have adequate facilities that handle liquid and dry cargo.  “In pursuance likewise of the thrust of the new administration to recognize the indispensable role of the private sector as the main engine for the national growth and development, the PPA plans to implement the proposed Bulk Terminal Project through the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP),” Sta. Ana added.

The PPA GM further added that at present, Manila Ports are still the most preferred staging areas for cargoes and destination of vessels, although these ports are already teeming with port activities and hardly have available space, thus necessitating seaward expansion.

The Port Agency has identified an area of about 200 hectares within the Port Zone Delineation (PZD) of the Port of Manila which is considered as ideal site for long-term commercial operations of ports catering to liquid and dry bulk cargoes and lies at the northwest portion of South Harbor, adjacent to Engineering Island.

Under its Charter, the PPA has the primordial responsibility to formulate a comprehensive and practicable Port Development for the State in coordination with other national concerned agencies.  Specifically, part of its corporate powers is to “reclaim, excavate, enclose or   raise any part of lands vested in the Authority”.  In the exercise of these power, therefore, the PPA Board chaired by the DOTC Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus, approved the Proposed Terms of Reference for the hiring of a consulting firm to undertake the formulation of the Master Plan and conduct of the Feasibility Study for the proposed Bulk Terminal Project as mentioned which can be expected to include reclamation work on which site can rise the said bulk handling facility.  It is likewise a given fact that Feasibility Study is a critical part of port planning process which is normally intended to establish the viability of possible development and infrastructures in a certain area.