ICTSI pushes major infra projects

MANILA, Philippines - Port giant International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has urged the Aquino administration to pursue investments in major infrastructure projects to help sustain the country’s improving ranking in global competitiveness.

ICTSI head of the Asian region Christian Gonzales said the port operator has invested P20 billion to transform the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) into the country’s leading and state-of-the-art international trading gateway.

“We have to work double time to improve the state of transport infrastructure for us to be globally competitive. Infrastructure development has to match and complement the pace of a country’s economic progress. If not, all the strides we are taking to further the economy will be for nothing,” Gonzales said.

Since the start of operations, he pointed out that ICTSI has infused P20 billion from infrastructure, equipment, and technology at the MICT.

“As developer of a vital Philippine utility, the MICT, we take great efforts to keep pace with economic growth as measured by the burgeoning import and export trade that pass through the terminal. For instance, we built a new berth just last year, and we are ready to build yet another one quickly when the demand calls for it,” Gonzales added.

In recent years, the MICT were listed among the leading terminals in the region under the four million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) category of the Asian Freight and Suppy Chain Awards (AFSCA).

The Singapore-based AFSCA started noticing MICT in 2010 when ICTSI started the full blast implementation of expansion programs that would bolster terminal capacity and seamless operations.

“We continue to support government efforts to improve the country’s ports. Connectivity through ports is crucial to an archipelagic country such as ours. Whenever there are opportunities for us to develop ports in the country and to contribute in the country’s global competitiveness through transport infrastructure, expect us to participate in such projects especially if it’s through public-private partnerships,” Gonzales said.

Based on the 2013-2014 Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the ranking of the Philippines improved to 59th place overall among 148 economies.