PPA readies talks on proposals for Iloilo, GenSan ports rehab

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) hopes to start negotiations late this month with the two proponents of unsolicited proposals seeking to rehabilitate and upgrade ports in Iloilo and General Santos.

PPA general manager Jay Santiago said both the submissions of Enrique Razon’s International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Davao-based ports operator Kudos Trucking Corp. are still under evaluation.

ICTSI has submitted to the PPA an P8.7 billion unsolicited proposal to upgrade the Iloilo Port, while Kudos Trucking offered to rehabilitate and improve the port in General Santos.

“There are still clarifications on the documentation of both General Santos and Iloilo (proposals) that’s why we have not been able to issue yet the certificate of completeness,” Santiago said.

“But I think either late September or October we should be able to start negotiations for General Santos. Afterwards, we’ll try to make parallel negotiations with Iloilo,” he said.

Upon the issuance of a letter of acceptance for completeness, the PPA and the private proponent would negotiate on the scope and details of the project.

Successful negotiation in accordance with the revised guidelines and procedures for entering into joint venture agreements between government and private entities would then result in the grant of the original proponent status (OPS).

The PPA granted Dennis Uy’s Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. the OPS last month for the Davao Sasa Port modernization project, as stated in the certificate of successful negotiation dated Aug. 19.

Santiago said the Davao Sasa Port modernization project should be awarded by first quarter of next year.

Chelsea submitted a 25-year joint venture agreement for the modernization of Davao Sasa Port which will run in five phases, with the first and second phase to be completed in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

The project targets to deliver port capacity expansion, flow improvement of waterborne commerce and inter-island seaborne commerce and foreign trades, and streamlining, enhancement, and optimization of port maintenance and operations.