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RP starts work on 2 major port projects
Source: Manila Bulletin
Author: Alec Almazan (The Shipping Guide)
Date: 1999-04-08
 
MANILA - The Philippines has begun work on two major international

port projects in the northern Luzon area. The government announced

that about P95 million (S$4.2 million) had been released for the Poro

Point port project in La Union province, while the consultancy contract

for the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in Cagayan

province had been awarded to an Australian-led consortium.



Poro Point is the site of the former US military installation - Wallace Air

Station and the Voice of America transmitter. The ex-US Air Force base is

now being managed by the Bases Conversion Development Authority, the

government agency in charge of converting to commercial use all former US

military bases turned over to the Philippine government since 1992.



Located on the eastern side of Luzon island, Poro Point has a natural deep

water harbor and is in close proximity to the South China Sea shipping routes.

The Bases Conversion Development Authority intends to exploit its

geographical advantages by transforming the former military base into an

international container port while its existing military airport will also be rebuilt

for commercial use.



For a start, about 46.8 million pesos of the recently released funds will be

used for the extension of Poro Point's existing Pier 2. This will enable the pier

to accommodate larger vessels and increase its cargo handling capacity.



The Bases Conversion Development Authority noted that the development of

Poro Point into an international port would spur the economic development of

the nearby provinces of La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and the Cordillera

Autonomous region.



In a related development, the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport

announced that it had recently awarded the consultancy services for the

preparation of the masterplan and detailed architectural and engineering

design for the Cagayan Freeport to a consortium led by Australian firm

McMillan, Britton and Kell Pty Ltd. Other consortium members include SMEC

International Pty Ltd, Cox Richardson, DCCD Engineering Corp and

Price-WaterhouseJoaquin Cunanan and Associates. The consortium has been

given 15 months to complete the freeport's masterplan and engineering and

design.



The Cagayan Freeport will be built in the small coastal town of Santa Ana,

whose location at the northernmost tip of the island of Luzon would make it

the nearest Philippine port to Japan, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and South

Korea. The 4,000 hectare-freeport will consist of an international container and

general cargo port, commercial airport, industrial park and business district.
 

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