THE construction of a P336-million port project in San Fernando, Cebu has yet to start as the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) failed to award the contract during the previous three biddings.
Leonilo Miole, CPA general manager, said the project is still for rebidding after a third failure of bidding where all bids failed to comply with all requirements pursuant to Section 35 of the 2016 revised implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
The third bidding was conducted on May 3, 2021 with four bidders: F. Gurrea Construction Inc., Hi-tone Construction and Development Corp., Premium Megastructures Inc. and a joint venture between RCDG Construction Corp., BSP & Company Inc. and Great Swiss Metal Builders Corp.
The CPA has yet to schedule the next bidding.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) allocated P336,114,557.47 for the project.
Roro roue project
Once completed, the facility will form part of the Central Spine Roro Route Project of the DOTr that aims to make sure that Roro (roll on, roll off) facilities are in place to cater to trade and tourism needs and maintain inter-island connectivity.
The CPA said the proposed San Fernando port in Barangay South Poblacion will cater to vessels plying from the town to Tubigon and Jagna ports in Bohol, to the municipalities of Mambajao and Mahinog in Camiguin and then finally stop at harbors in Balingoan and Cagayan de Oro in Misamis Oriental.
Meanwhile, Miole said the new tentative schedule for the groundbreaking ceremony of the P9.96-billion New Cebu International Container Port Project (NCICPP) in Barangay Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu is set in January.
The issuance of bidding documents to the project’s three pre-qualified Korean contractors is still on hold, pending the submission of other requirements, such as a draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment from the ARUP Consultants to the NCICPP’s Special Bids and Awards Committee.
Earlier this year, CPA officials said that if the schedule would come as planned, ground works for the NCICPP could start in August this year. (WBS)