City starts P170M river port development

CONSTRUCTION of new berthing facilities for fastcrafts and roll on-roll off vessels started at the Iloilo River wharf last January 18, 2013, with groundbreaking rites of the P170 million berthing facilities along the Lapuz side of the Iloilo River.

Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Iloilo manager Winfred Elizalde said the new project consisted of the construction of berthing facilities in an area of 4,360 square meters and construction of RC platform 26 meters by 15 meters and a roro ramp nine meters by 11 meters by winning bidder International Builders Corp (IBC) for 450 calendar days.

Expected date of river port project completion is on April 3, 2014.

Engr. Tomas Carlos, PPA assistant general manager based in Metro Manila said the Iloilo project is part of ports development in the country envisioned by the government to become a global port of international standards with ISO accreditation.

The berthing facilities will be augmented with the construction of passenger terminal building soon in a move to make Iloilo City a gateway to the rest of Western Visayas.

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the project is part of the development of the Iloilo River.

The project is being built on a 7,000 square meter public land left by a private shipyard and the remaining area will have public plaza for the Lapuz district.

Mabilog said he is also eyeing private sector participation in investing in port development and to jointly prepare a holistic development and enhance connectivity to other province in the country and the world. (Sunnex)