The construction of the passenger terminal at the Dumaguete City Port will start soon with President Gloria Arroyo's announcement that the Philippine Ports Authority has started the bidding process.

During her recent visit in Oriental Negros, Arroyo said Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza has been informed by the PPA of the ongoing bidding for the port facility. The President led the groundbreaking rites of what was originally an P80-million passenger terminal building in Dumaguete City in 2004.

But the project had not taken off and was hampered by several delays, from costly building design to problems with the project site.

The port facility was originally proposed to be put up in an area within the City Engineer's Office. But PPA Port Services division manager Raul Merecido said the area is subject of an ongoing litigation after the city government under then Mayor Felipe Remollo contested its land title.

Merecido said the area is within the PPA port zone delineation but the city leadership at that time claimed that the property belongs to the local government.

Another setback followed when local PPA manager Noemi Calderon reported to City Mayor Agustin Perdices late last year that, PPA central office has issued a directive seeking the justification of the P80 million fund.

Revisions were quickly made and PPA was able to whittle the project cost down to about P60 million.

Merecido said the new site for the building is their back-up area in front of the Philippine Coast Guard office, a 6,000-square meter lot whose 1,500-square meters area will be intended for the passenger terminal building. "The original site was also not an ideal location strategically for the passenger terminal as it is far from Pier I," he said.

The passenger terminal building is in line with PPA's plans to upgrade the Dumaguete port in a bid to attract more ships in view of tough competition posed by nearby private ports.

It will be equipped with enough facilities to efficiently handle passenger volume. Arroyo said the project will address the long-felt need for a decent terminal building for local passengers as well as lend to an environment conducive to the economic and business growth.

The port is linked to the Presidential Nautical Highway serving the Visayas-Mindanao area, which has been vital in the country's sustained economic growth, the President stressed.*RG

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