Roro port project up for bidding in 2019

SOUTH POBLACION, SAN FERNANDO project

The proposed roll-on roll-off port to be built in the municipality of San Fernando is up for bidding early next year.

San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya reported that the total project cost for the project that would be built at Barangay South Poblacion would reach P3.6 billion.

San Fernando is a town estimated to be 28 km south of Cebu City.

“Only last month, we went to Clark Pampanga kasi nagkaroon ng presentation sa atong international port. As presented, the DOTR projected a P3.6 billion project in Barangay South Poblacion (San Fernando). So, it’s an international port roll on roll off,” Reluya said.

However, Reluya said the Department of Transportation (DoTr) had allocated an initial budget of P368 million in the 2018 General Appropriations Act.

The port will occupy between 35 to 40 hectares.

The rest of the cost would either be shouldered by the government or with private sector participation either through joint venture or public private partnership, she said.

The mayor said the project’s plan would be approved within this month and the bidding would be held in January next year.

She said the DOTr disclosed that the groundbreaking of the project would be held by March 2019.

The proposed roro port would serve both rolling cargos and passengers and would be expected to improve people’s mobility, the mayor added.

Also, the DOTr wants the conversion of the area as a port zone to be declared by the municipal council so that the roads going to the port could be widened and classified as a national road.

She also explained that DOTr’s transportation plan would include the connection of San Fernando to Tubigon town in Bohol.

The San Fernando port would not be competing with the other port projects in Cebu such as the international container port in Consolacion and the one in Talisay.

Earlier, Cebu Port Authority general manager Angelo Verdan said that a feasibility study was being done to determine the project’s economic
viability.

The team doing the feasibility study was also preparing the detailed engineering design, which would be submitted to the Cebu Port Commission for approval.

To recall, the DOTr had announced plans for a modernization program for the country’s ro-ro system that would require the upgrading of the country’s major nautical highways.