P704-million port upgrade contract for Basco, Batanes awarded

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it awarded the P704.62-million Basco, Batanes port improvement project to Goldridge Construction and Development Corp.

In a notice of award dated Feb. 10, the regulator said the contract to upgrade and rehabilitate Basco port was awarded to the Bataan-based construction firm after it emerged as the low bidder among five companies that submitted proposals.

The PPA said the contractor will have 900 calendar days from the receipt of the award to complete the project, which includes the construction of a port operations area and a reinforced concrete pier.

Basco port serves as the gateway for trade, tourism and connectivity in Batanes province, the PPA said.

For this year, PPA expects to further boost maritime trade and connectivity following strong cargo growth in 2025.

The PPA exceeded its 2025 target with 307.64 million metric tons (MMT) of cargo throughput for the year, up 6.3%.

The PPA said it is expecting cargo volume to grow 4.03% to 320.94 MMT in 2026, driven mainly by foreign cargo.

Container throughput is forecast to increase 3.94% to 8.88 million twenty-foot equivalent units. For this year, passenger traffic is expected to grow 5.78% to 87.26 million.

The PPA said it remains optimistic about cargo and passenger traffic growth due to continued investment in port upgrades. — Ashley Erika O. Jose