Dredging at Tambobo Bay in Barangay Bonbonon, Siaton, Negros Oriental is necessary to allow for the operations of an existing port in the area, as the Philippine Ports Authority dispelled fears of dislocation and damage to the environment.
Fernando Mapalo Jr., the city’s acting PPA manager, said the dredging has complied with the requirements prescribed by law.
Dredging will open up a channel so that the Tambobo roll-on, roll-off (RORO) port can be maximized, he said in an interview Tuesday.
“Eventually, when the channel is at its desired depth, the port will have the capacity to receive bigger vessels, and then we can stimulate economic activity at the port,” he said of the ongoing activity.
Malapo’s reassurance comes amid concerns after the PPA confirmed the dredging about three weeks ago.
The port was built in 2017, but its original intent to accommodate RORO vessels connecting Negros Oriental to Mindanao did not materialize due to shallow waters at the entrance of the bay.
The pandemic that lasted a few years also stalled the project.
The project resumption forms part of the P150 million cluster of Central Visayas ports, including the dredging at Tambobo Bay and the ports in the towns of Larena and Siquijor in Siquijor province.
Mapalo said the project is expected to be completed in 348 calendar days.
He also assured that the dredging would not affect or endanger the nearby marine protected area.
It does not need an Environmental Compliance Certificate after a Certificate of Non-Coverage was issued in December last year by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
