CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) -- The Phividec Industrial Authority (IA) is actively pursuing the expansion of the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT).

Phividec Administrator Joseph Donato Bernedo, said they are now seeking for a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to fund the project feasibility study which is needed for the expansion project.

Bernedo said interactions with JICA have been positive, with indications of a favorable reception for the expansion plans.

"We've met with JICA several times at some online conferences, and on a couple of occasions, they actually flew over from Manila. We took them around the port area, both the landside and seaside, for inspection of the area, and we showed them where the intended expansion would be. After that, we had several back-and-forth conferences with them. And I'm happy to say that based on their reactions, it seems that the reception is very positive," he shared with the press.

The Regional Development Council (RDC)-10 and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-10 have already designated the MCT Phase 2 project as a priority project in the Northern Mindanao Regional Development Plan.

Bernedo said Phividec has also sought support from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to endorse the project as a national priority, highlighting the importance of a government-to-government arrangement to secure the JICA grant.

In addition to the JICA grant, Bernedo disclosed that they are likewise exploring various funding options, including public-private partnerships (PPP) or build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangements.

The Phividec IA administrator emphasized that the expansion is crucial as the current capacity of the MCT has been reached. "I have also spoken with our port operator, and they say that this is very needed because right now our berthing window when the ship's dock is becoming very narrow," Bernedo explained.

He expressed determination to move forward with the expansion, foreseeing economic benefits such as more businesses and investments in the Phividec estate, which could lead to more employment opportunities, more revenue for the province of Misamis Oriental and local government units around the estate, and the development of other ancillary businesses.

The Mindanao International Container Terminal Services, Inc.-operated MCT has a capacity of 270,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) and is located at the Phividec Industrial Estate-Misamis Oriental Special Economic Zone (PIE-MO SEZ). The terminal handles both domestic and international cargoes with routes to South Korea, Kota Kinabalu, China, Hong Kong, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. (APB/PIA-10)