THE Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) failure to comply with the requirements of at least two government agencies has delayed the construction of the P12-billion Cebu International Container Port (CICP), which was supposed to start in October last year yet.
The DOTr has yet to secure clearances from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the port project in Barangay Tayud, Consolacion.
Cebu Port Authority (CPA) General Manager Angelo Verdan said he is hoping that the PRA and the DENR will fast-track the processing of the requirements since it is a government infrastructure project. The CPA is the end-user of the project.
President Rodrigo Duterte and the South Korean Government have signed a loan agreement for the construction of the CICP.
According to Verdan, the Korean Export-Import Bank, where the US$190-million loan is reserved, had given the Philippine Government until Oct. 3, 2018 to start the project.
But the bidding could not start yet because of the lack of clearances.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is tasked to conduct the bidding, and the DOTr is the implementing agency.
“The CPA will operate the new port and is assigned to repay the foreign loan,” Verdan said.
Verdan said the project will be completed in 38 months. The first eight months is for the project design, and the remaining 30 months is for the construction of the port facilities.
Verdan said his office is also waiting for updates from the Department of Public Works and Highways, which will open three major roads that will complement the new port.
Had the project started on time, Verdan said it would have been completed at the end of 2021. But because of the delays, the project will be operational in 2022 yet. (EOB)