DOTr to review ferry component of Megawide project in Cebu market

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Wednesday it will review the ferry system component of Megawide Construction Corp.’s plan to redevelop  Carbon Market in Cebu City as an integrated transport hub amid concerns of displacement from vendors.

During the House Committee on Appropriations’ hearing on the proposed budget of DOTr for 2022, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro appealed to the agency to “suspend consideration of the ferry route until and unless local concerns are resolved?”

The proposed ferry route traverses from the transport and ferry terminals located in the site of the Carbon Market through the Mactan Channel all the way to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, also developed by Megawide.

Castro said vendors are concerned about being displaced by the project and that a “win-win solution” is needed.

“With that manifestation, we will review and look at the ferry route, and we will talk to the stakeholders,” Tugade said.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange dated January 11, 2021, Megawide said it entered into a joint venture agreement with the government of Cebu City for the P5.5-billion redevelopment of Cebu Carbon Market with a concession-period of 50 years.

In a separate statement, Megawide said the ferry terminal is pegged to be operational in at least two years' time.

“It will provide a direct connection from Carbon to the Mactan Cebu International Airport so that passengers can avoid the heavy traffic from the city to Mactan Island," the company said.

“Right now we are still studying the viability of possible routes. This will also go through all the proper consultations and processes before launch,” it added.

The company said that all vendors are protected by the joint venture agreement.

“We reiterate that 100% of registered vendors will be accommodated. The new market facility will even have more total floor area than the current market - and that’s because each vendor will now have the appropriate space and individual connections they need,” it said.

“To date, we have already presented the stall designs and locations to vendor leaders and they have already submitted their inputs, which have been incorporated in the project plan. These include the rental rates for Carbon, for which there will be no upward adjustments. In fact, we are offering wider and better space at more affordable rates compared to the prevailing market rates,” it added.—LDF, GMA New