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By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter
THE local unit of Hong
Kong-listed First Pacific Holdings along with five other companies
procured eligibility documents for the North Harbor auction, taking
the first step in their bid to secure the long-term contract to
operate the Philippines’ largest and busiest seaport.
State-run Philippine Ports
Authority (PPA) said Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC) and port
operator Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) each paid the P20,000 fee for
the eligibility document.
Joining the two Philippine Stock
Exchange-listed companies in the race to bag the contract are
Harbour Center Port Terminal Inc., Pier 8 Arrastre and Steve-doring
Services Inc., Prudential Customs Brokerage Services Inc. and
National Marine Corp.
The North Harbor, which is part
of the Port of Manila, serves both domestic cargo and passenger
traffic.
The winning bidder will operate
the port for the next 25 years with provisions for renewal to
provide it with a reasonable amount of time to recover its
investments. The North Harbor’s Terminal 1 will service roll-on,
roll-off container and passenger vessels. Its Terminal 2 will
service container and passenger vessels, while its Terminal 3 will
be earmarked for conventional, nonconta-inerized, bulk or break-bulk
vessels and passenger vessels.
Earlier, Manuel V. Pangilinan,
MPIC chairman, said the company will bid for the North Harbor in a
joint venture with another local company.
“We’re looking at it. We have
identified a local partner. It’s probably ideal for us to partner
with someone with port experience. That’s our direction, we
probably need that someone with operation experience,” he said.
The PPA set the deadline for the
submission and opening of the eligibility documents on July 2. Bid
submission and the opening of proposals are scheduled for October
17.
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