CPA: Pending permits delay construction of port project

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Port Authority hopes the Cebu International Container Port can finally start next year, although it was originally planned to start in August this year if not due to approval delays.

CPA General Manager Edmund Tan is confident the P10-billion port project would get the National Economic and Development Authority's nod within the year.

The proposed new Cebu container port, planned to be built in Tayud, Consolacion, was recently approved by the NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee last September 1.

Tan said the only concern that the ICC raised is where to source the filling materials for the port project.

He cited an area in the South Road Properties in Cebu City that could be a source of filling materials and this could be transported through barging.

During the ICC deliberation, Tan said the Department of Public Works and Highways also committed to build the road network to connect the Tayud port to Cebu City and other key cities in Metro Cebu.

The Tayud port project is now expected to get an endorsement from the ICC-Cabinet Committee in a deliberation on September 19 for final approval by the NEDA Board, which is chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte.

NEDA Regional Director Efren Carreon said he was hopeful it would get the President's go-ahead signal before December this year.

After getting the President's approval, the project will still go through a detailed engineering study.

Afterwards, the project can already start construction, which is expected to take three years.

Based on the original timeline, the Cebu container port project was actually targeted to start in August this year.

CPA's Tan admitted the project's intended timeline was no longer followed due to the pending approval.

The feasibility study on the new Cebu port was done by Korean experts.

Among the study's recommendations include funding from Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund, given that the project, which has an estimated cost of P10 billion, has a poor financial viability.

The new container port is geared towards meeting the demands of the dynamic and growing economy of Cebu and of the region. It is expected to provide a long-term solution to the congestion at the existing Cebu International Port due to increasing volume and the shallow water depth of its container berths. (FREEMAN)