PPA advances ICTSI proposal to develop Iloilo ports

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has found the proposal of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) to develop two Iloilo ports complete, advancing it to the evaluation stage.

ICTSI said it received from PPA a letter of acceptance for completeness in accordance with the Revised Guidelines and Procedures for Entering into Joint Venture Agreements between Government and Private Entities.

PPA will now begin to evaluate the legal, financial and technical merits of ICTSI’s proposal to modernize the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex and the Port of Dumangas within a maximum of 60 days.

“We are excited about this development as we know we submitted a fully compliant proposal that will be the most beneficial for Iloilo. We are fully committed to working with the PPA on this project, and are hopeful to be granted original proponent status (OPS),” ICTSI global corporate head Christian Gonzalez said.

Once given the OPS, ICTSI’s proposal will be turned over to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for evaluation.

If it gains the approval of

NEDA, the proposal will go through a Swiss challenge.

“With the transportation department’s recent directive to fast track unsolicited bids for port projects, we are confident that we will be able to assist the Philippine government more in its goals of upgrading the country’s port network; and help Iloilo attain its full potential in facilitating even greater trade facilitation that will improve connectivity for cargo movement within the country,” Gonzalez said.

ICTSI has estimated an investment of over P8.7 billion to fully develop the Iloilo Port Complex over the life of the concession that will be agreed on with the PPA.

ICTSI is also offering to substantially invest in the development of the Port of

Dumangas in order to seamlessly handle the spill over from the city port.

The Iloilo-Dumangas bid is ICTSI’s first foray in the Visayas with the end goal of providing a national network of ports with ICTSI’s brand of operational synergy that would further improve the country’s supply chain and competitiveness in global trade.