Feasibility study readied for Manila cruise port

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s plan to build a P5-billion cruise port in Manila is starting to take shape, with the project now moving to the feasibility study stage.

In a request for expression of interest, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it is spending as much as P41.91 million in hiring consultancy services to assess the feasibility of new projects.

The contract covers the feasibility study for the Manila International Cruise Terminal, estimated to cost P5 billion, as the PPA pushes to make Manila a cruise destination.

The terminal will be located on Aseana Avenue in Parañaque, so that it will be close to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The PPA wants to make Manila a homeport for cruise trips to scale up visitor arrivals.

The project draws inspiration from Hong Kong’s Ocean Terminal, one of Asia’s most renowned homeport for cruise trips. The Manila cruise terminal will also house dining, retail and recreation facilities similar to the Ocean Terminal.

As a whole, the project builds on the PPA’s push to put up dedicated terminals for cruise vessels across the archipelago, particularly in tourist hotspots.

In 2025, the PPA completed a cruise terminal in Dapa, Surigao del Norte to boost tourist arrivals by sea to surfing haven Siargao.

The PPA is also developing more cruise facilities in other regions to meet future demand, such as in the Port of Alegria in Aklan, Port of Catagbacan in Bohol and Port of Balbagon in Camiguin.

The PPA also moved to the feasibility study stage the Luneta Ferry Terminal in Manila City and two proposed ports in Mabini, Batangas. There are plans to build ports in Malunay, Quezon; San Vicente, Palawan; Codon, Catanduanes; and Pulupandan, Negros Occidental.

In Mindanao, the PPA’s planned ports in Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay and Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte are also getting feasibility studies. The PPA will accept offers until Oct. 13, and the outputs must be finished in 12 months.

Moreover, the agency is bidding out a P58.34-million contract to deliver inventory and structural investigation of all marine structures in 10 ports.

The consultancy includes the Cawit Port in Marinduque, Puerto Galera Port in Oriental Mindoro, Abra de Ilog Port in Occidental Mindoro.