By Lilian C. Mellejor
DAVAO CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) -– A composite team of national, local government agencies and the private sector has opened talks on the modernization of the Sasa Wharf under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme for P15 billion.
This was revealed by Davao City Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, a member of the planning committee working on the Sasa Wharf development plan, a blueprint of modernizing the facilities of the wharf and expanding the property to accommodate big vessels. The project is targeted to start next year.
Part of the modernization plan is the expansion of the wharf from 21.7 hectares to 27.9 hectares. If the project will be realized in two to five years, the economy of the city will further grow as projected by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
Alejandre said the government-managed Sasa Wharf facility needs improvement to compete with other ports with modern technology such as in Panabo City wharf, which is now the choice of shipping lines because of its high-tech facilities.
According to Alejandre, container and cargo ships from China, Japan and United States are still docking at Sasa Wharf.
However, he said the wharf cannot accommodate big ships because the sea bed is silted.
Alejandre said Sasa needs to be de-silted and deepened by 50 meters deep for the big ships to dock.
“Hopefully by 2015 modernization and construction of Sasa Wharf will begin with deadline of the acquisition of materials being targeted by November 28 this year,” he said.
Another concern that government needs to address is the situation of the 300 family-settlers in Sasa that are subject for relocation to Barangay Mahayag in Bunawan. (PNA)