The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is set to establish a new passenger terminal building at the Ubay port which will be the biggest PTB in the province, an official said.
According to PPA Bohol manager James Gantalao, the agency has allocated an P87-million budget for the facility’s construction.
The project has been opened for bidding by the PPA’s head office in Metro Manila.
“Ni-request ta na ma-bid na rong tuiga kay saying ang opurtinidad kay mao nalang nay kulang nato na facility sa Ubay kay dako atong port pero wala tay buildings,” said Gantalao.
The facility is expected to accommodate 1,500 to 2,000 people at a time.
“Naa ni siyay opisina sa PPA, naay passenger terminal naa pud, compliant to COVID karon, mga isolation areas,” he added.
In its invitation for bidding, the PPA said that completion of work is required in “450 calendar days” from the receipt by the successful bidder of the Notice to Proceed.
“Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184,” the PPA said.
With the eyed expansion, more shipping lines are expected to open new routes connecting Ubay to other localities.
Cokaliong Shipping Lines and Lite Shipping are initially set to open a Cebu-Ubay-Surigao route, said Gantalao.
“Hopefully maka-link pud ta sa Hilongos to Ubay…and we encourage more vessels kay mo dako na man na, mas nindot, mas daghan,” he added.