CEBU CITY (PNA) — The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has allocated P254 million of its P630.18 million budget for this year for various infrastructure projects.

CPA General Manager Angelo Verdan said the projects the local agency will undertake include repair and renovation of passenger terminals, drainage system, RoRo ramps, and dredging.

The repair and renovation of passenger terminal 2 at Pier 3 is estimated to cost P16 million because of its importance, as this is where all outgoing passengers undergo X-ray inspection before boarding vessels.

The damaged roofing of the Pier 1 terminal will also be repaired at a cost of P2 Million.

The CPA allocated arina11 million for the repair of the access road, plus drainage system and covered catwalk at Pier 2 to protect passengers from the rain or the heat of the sun. The area was previously occupied by squatters.

Verdan said the Sangi Pier in Toledo City, which is the gateway to San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, was given a budget of P25 million for the replacement of dilapidated wooden piles with spiral pipes.

The Tuburan Port, the gateway to Escalante City, also in Negros Island, will be dredged of silt. This will cost P5 million.

The CPA will also be setting aside P18 million for the repair of the deck and provision of a RoRo ramp at the Hagnaya Port, which is a link to Bantayan Island.

Other projects include the repair of the damaged back-up area and de-clogging of drainage system at Berth 9-11 for P18 million; repair of quay wall pavement along Berth 8-13 for P19 million; repair of quay wall and provision of RoRo ramp art Berth 27 for P25 million; repair of underdeck at Pier 3 for P22 million; repair of underdeck at Pier 1 for P22 million; and repair of quay wall and provision of Roro ramp at Berth 18, for P45 million.

Meanwhile, an official of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 has assured the public that cargo and passenger vessels based in Cebu are seaworthy and have passed safety inspections.

Marina 7 Maritime Specialist Mardon Martin reacted to the statement of Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III that Marina was lax in implementing maritime laws, resulting in sea tragedies.

The recent sinking of the MV Baleno 9 and MV Catalyn B indicated a chronic weakness in the regulatory system of Marina, Guingona said.

In the past months, Guingona said, several ships leaving Cebu for various destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao conked out at sea because of engine trouble.

This resulted in the public suspecting that Marina hasn’t been doing its job of seeing to it that all vessels are in good condition before they are issued passenger ship safety certificates.

Guingona, in a press statement, had cited reports from the Philippine Coast Guard that in 2009 alone, 69 sea mishaps have occurred.

”These accidents are just the latest in a long series of maritime disasters, some of which have not been yet resolved to the satisfaction of all,” Guingona said.

He said that if Marina was really implementing maritime laws, it should not allow substandard vessels to sail.

But Martin said no vessel was issued a safety certificate if it did not pass inspection requirements set by Marina. The safety requirements are based on the guidelines set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Martin said vessels are annually inspected to determine their seaworthiness before their safety certificate is renewed.

Also, each vessel has undergone dry-docking at a licensed shipyard every two years, Martin said.