PPA awards P221-M Amandayehan port upgrade project

A CEBU-BASED construction company has secured the P221.03-million contract to upgrade Amandayehan port in Basey, Samar, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said.

In a notice of award signed by PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago dated June 30, PPA has awarded the port improvement project to BNR Construction and Development Corp.

The same company had also secured three more port projects from the PPA. These contracts, which were awarded separately from 2024 to 2025, include the P533.31-million Dumaguete port expansion project; P606.53-million Port of Tapal expansion; and the P632.29-million Tagbilaran port expansion project.

Overall, PPA said last month that it is allocating P410 million to upgrade Amandayehan in Basey, Samar to establish alternate transport routes between Samar and Leyte.

This move stemmed from the implementation of a three-ton weight limit on the San Juanico Bridge which had disrupted land-based transportation and logistics in the region.

The port of Amandayehan has been identified as a strategic alternative route due to its proximity to Tacloban port, the regulator said.

The allocation budget for the port project will cover the installation of about 14 navigational buoys valued at P100 million to support the navigational reliability of the Amandayehan Port, while another P100 million was allocated for the dredging works, and P200 million for the port’s physical expansion to handle more vessels and cargo volume.

Earlier, the PPA said it is also preparing for the takeover of the Amandayehan port from the local government unit. — Ashley Erika O. Jose