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THE
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is receptive to the
possibility of a negotiated sale for the contract to
operate the Manila North Harbor after it aired concerns
that no entity may qualify for the new round of bidding.
A port
official said the PPA board has delayed the release of
an announcement inviting companies to bid for the harbor
contract after a special bids and awards committee
sought “guidance” from the board.
The
committee’s move may allow the board, which altered
rules about the harbor’s privatization process, to make
important decisions regarding the plan to place the
terminal under private control.
“We are
looking at four eventualities and we want to have the
guidelines on all of those,” Oscar M. Sevilla, PPA
general manager, told reporters, adding that the new
bidding guidelines may be released this week.
Meanwhile, if all companies fail to secure approval to
bid, the PPA may enter into an arranged sale with the
joint venture to be formed by Harbour Centre Port
Terminals Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., the
only company which previously passed the eligibility
check.
As early
as last year, the National Economic and Development
Authority had said that it will not block any guidelines
regarding the privatization, save for a negotiated bid.
During
the first bidding, Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), Magsaysay
Maritime Corp., Pier 8 Arrastre and Stevedoring
Services, and Prudential Customs Brokerage all
participated but failed to get approval to bid.
Although
it submitted seven sets of two-inch thick documents,
publicly-listed ATI failed to secure eligibility after
it didn’t submit a waiver indicating it will not sue
government in the course of the bidding.
Harbor
facilities to be placed under private control include
the port’s container terminal, general cargo terminal
and passenger terminal complex, which will be considered
as one operational area. |
