Engr. Jameson Lee, Principal Engineer, PPA, PDO-SOMIN, said that the initial phase of the port rehab would be to have a feasibility study of the port to maximize the potential of the facility based on the socio-economic profile of the province.
“Science and Vision consulting firm will be conducting the study, the same firm that we commissioned to do the study for Davao and Zamboanga Port,” Lee added.
“The study will have a time frame of approximately 6 months and will include tourism, international standards, Local Economic Development, port management and other concerns,” Engr. Malou Mamatad, Head Consultant of Science and Vision said.
Provincial Information Officer Sonny Abing III said that in the year 2000, under Executive Order 8283, the port of Jolo was extended by 78 meters reinforced concrete pier, including RORO and lighting facilities with a cost of P54-million. This was in the time of then President Joseph Estrada and the 2nd term of Governor Abdusakur M. Tan.
The rehabilitation was made thru the initiative of Gov. Abdusakur M. Tan and 1st District Representative Tupay Loong. Abing said they are partners in the development and united in the vision of making Sulu reach its full economic potential.
“Gov. Tan’s constant follow-up of the project and his commitment to improve power generation in Sulu to accommodate the port was key in making this project possible,” Lee emphasized.
“We will privatize power generation in the province of Sulu in 3 years’ time,” confirms Gov. Tan.
Tan added the port will serve as a gateway for economic development in the province. “To have an updated port facility especially in this part of the country is of great importance, a vital component of sustainable economic growth,” the governor said.
Mamatad explains that the Feasibility Study has a budget cost of 4.3 million pesos. The costs, he said, will cover four (4) existing ports in Mindanao: Ulotanga in Zamboanga del Sur, Tukuran in Pagadian city, Katipunan in Zamboanga del Norte and Jolo in Sulu.
Based on their experiences in managing ports, PPA officers and consultants were impressed by the socio economic profile of the province. “Ports bring change and we see this change in Sulu,” Abing said. (JPA/Sulu PIO/RVC-PIA9 ZamBaSulTa)