MONTHS after the launch of a ferry service from a mall in Pasay to Cavite, the government announced building another terminal, also in that southern Philippine urban area.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), which announced the plan on Wednesday, said it will build a ferry terminal in San Roque, Cavite City. The port regulator said the terminal will begin operation by middle of next year.

According to bid documents, the state firm will spend some P11.51 million for the six-month construction of the terminal. The money is expected to fund dredging works and building a jetty pier.

The winning contractor will also provide construction safety and health program in the execution of the project. The bid document also requires the contractor to build a floating staging and working area.

According to the schedule, the PPA will conduct all the process of eligibility checks and the prebid meeting before the year ends.

Eligible bidders are required to submit their bids, which should not exceed the PPA budget for the project, on January 4, 2008. The PPA said it will award the contract some weeks later.

PPA general manager Oscar M. Sevilla in an earlier interview said he has high hopes for a new ferry terminal that will be used to connect Cavite and Manila, especially when it was placed near a mall to have a regular passenger.

The new PPA project comes months after Metrostar Ferry Inc. inaugurated its daily ferry service from the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay to Cavite City last July.

Metrostar uses a twin-hull, twin-engine vessel, which can accommodate 130 to 550 passengers per trip.

Fare is between P60 and P75, which are double compared with the fee using land transportation.

There are a total of eight trips going to and from Manila and Cavite City and vice versa. Metrostar secured a P135-million loan from the Philippine Export Import Credit Agency and state-owned Philippine Veteran’s Bank to bankroll the project.

Metrostar at the moment uses the Samonte Park terminal.

Based on the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, Cavite City has a total population of 99,367 and a total household population of 21,342, averaging about five persons per household.

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