The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) said on Friday that seven earthquake-damaged ports in northern Cebu need some P623 million for repair and rehabilitation.
CPA Public Information Officer Maryknoll Bolasa said the Authority sought the assistance of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MBG-7) and is awaiting its findings on possible ground instability or liquefaction risks before finalizing rehabilitation designs.
Bolasa told media that the ports suffered varying degrees of structural damages.
The geologist site scoping will begin next week in Hagnaya port in San Remigio, Polambato in Bogo City, and Kawit in Medellin.
Preliminary structural inspections done
Preliminary structural inspections by CPA engineers have been completed.
“Facilities that are still operating were found structurally sound by CPA engineers. But since we’re not experts in potential geohazards and there are still aftershocks,we requested MGB-7’s assistance,” she said.
Only two ports fully operational
CPA’s inspection showed that only two ports — Maya in Daanbantayan and Carmen — remain fully operational. The rest are either partially open or temporarily closed for safety reasons.
Drone shots of Polambato Port show about two-thirds of the port section as non-operational due to damage. Only a limited area is open for conditional use.
Kawit port’s overall integrity remains stable, but damaged concrete pavement requires urgent repair to restore full operational safety and load-bearing capacity. Its concrete slab and breathing areas need reinforcement as well.
Between 40 to 50 percent of Hagnaya Port’s operational area is restricted. Key berthing and terminal support zones are closed or use only on certain tidal conditions, which hampers normal operations. Meanwhile, only the right-most ramp is safe for RoRo loading and unloading.
For its part, Tabogon Port’s entire berthing structure is closed due to severe deterioration.
Pending results of MGB-7’s geological assessment
The P623-million projected cost is preliminary pending the full results of MGB-7’s geological assessment.
The CPA is exploring options such as temporary reinforcements or modular platforms to maintain port functions until full rehabilitation starts.
If MGB-7 declares any port site unsafe, the CPA said it will explore redesign or relocation options.
