State-run Philippine ports Authority said Monday it is hopeful about awarding three unsolicited port projects to private sector proponents before the end of the Duterte administration in mid-2022.
PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said in a virtual briefing the projects that include the modernization of Iloilo Commercial Ports Complex as proposed by International Container Terminal Services Inc., Davao Sasa Ports by Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and General Santos Ports by Kudos Tracking Services Corp. were still awaiting approval from the National Economic and Development Authority.
“All of those unsolicited proposals are currently pending with the NEDA for evaluation and we are in continuous communication with the NEDA for the additional requirements and documents that they are requiring,” Santiago said.
“So far, we have completed our submissions. Of course, we are hopeful that the government should be able to approve and award those three projects to the proponents later on, but of course we are all dependent on the action of the NEDA -ICC,” he said.
Santiago said the PPA was in talks with the proponents if they were willing to pursue the projects under the agency’s Port Terminal Management Framework.
“It’s [PTMF] the faster way , if they really want to get the contract, “ he said.
“But under the PTFM, the tariff will be lower than the tariff being proposed by the proponent because the investment will be lower,” he said.
ITCSI earlier secured an original proponent status from the PPA to develop Iloilo ports for P8.7 billion.
The Iloilo-Dumangas bid is ICTSI’s foray in the Visayas with the goal of providing a national network of ports with ICTSI’s brand of operational synergy that would further improve the country’s supply chain and competitiveness in global trade.
PPA also granted OPS to Kudos Trucking for the rehabilitation and development of General Santos Ports.
The PPA in 2019 also granted Chelsea Logistics of businessman Dennis Uy the OPS for the P16-billion Davao Sasa Port modernization project.
Chelsea plans to develop, operate and maintain the Davao Sasa Port for P16 billion with a proposed concession period of 25 years.