VTMS project hits a snag

CEBU, Philippines - The path to finally have a Vessel Traffic Management System in Cebu by 2016 courtesy of a grant from Japan International Cooperation Agency is smooth except for one minor problem.

Commander Weniel Azcuna, chief of staff of the Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas District Command, said everything is in place except for the usage of the “small lot” owned by the Department of Public Works and Highways near the Mactan Bridge.

“Di naman siya hindrance… but right now, the VTMS implementation has already started. Pati yung paghahanap ng mga contractor ngmga taga JICA dito for the construction of the three radar towers and one control center building. The two radar towers are already approved, yung use ng lot. Yung isang medyo pending natin ngayon is yung interbridge,” Azcuna shared.

PCG hopes to get a reply from DPWH soon as clearance from lot owners is required by JICA for the construction of radar towers to proceed. Two letters from PCG were already sent to the concerned agency, one in March and another in April to ask for permission to utilize a portion of the DPWH-owned lot near Mactan-Mandaue Bridge. As of press time, DPWH-7 officials were not available for comment.

Last week, JICA representatives arrived in Cebu to conduct market research to identify contractors that can possibly construct the three radar towers and the control tower. Three strategic areas are eyed for the radar towers, each roughly measuring 36 square meters, to comprehensively cover vessel traffic from north to south points of Mactan channel. These include Bantolinao Point in the north, Talisay City in the south, and one near Mactan-Mandaue Bridge in the middle of the channel.

The control tower will be erected inside the PCG Central Visayas headquarters which will approximately occupy 100 square meters. With the establishment of VTMS, collisions and grounding is hoped to be minimized if not completely prevented as this technology monitor the ins and outs of vessels in both north and south points of the channel.

VTMS was strongly pushed last year following the sinking of passenger vessel M/V St. Thomas Aquinas after colliding with cargo vessel M/V Sulpicio Express Siete that claimed over a hundred lives, mostly passengers bound for Nasipit in Butuan.— (FREEMAN)