THE government will proceed with the upgrading this year of the San Fernando International Seaport and the San Fernando Airport at Poro Point, La Union, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said over the weekend.
Four international companies have been shortlisted for the creation of a master plan to modernize the seaport under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center feasibility study, BCDA president and CEO Joshua Bingcang said.
The companies’ names were not disclosed.
In 2025, BCDA announced the modernization program of the San Fernando seaport after getting provisional funding from the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF).
The PDMF is a P4.4-billion revolving fund managed by the PPP Center of the Philippines to support BCDA and other agencies in preparing, structuring, and implementing viable infrastructure projects. It finances consultants for feasibility studies, transaction advisory, and project monitoring.
The project will enable full containerization in the seaport, including container terminals and automated yard systems. It will install quay and yard cranes for faster cargo turnaround, and expand storage and stacking areas.
It will also deploy advanced terminal operating systems, gate automation, and digital freight management, improve road and future rail connectivity for seamless cargo movement, and integrate gender, environmental, and climate safeguards into planning and design.
Once operational, the upgraded seaport will support regional industries in Pangasinan, La Union, and other provinces in Ilocos, said the BCDA.
The modernized seaport will likewise enhance its appeal on logistics investors and export-oriented manufacturers here and abroad.
“We need to finish the feasibility study soon because we want to have a permanent operator. The Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), our subsidiary, operates the Poro Point,“ Bingcang said.
PPMC assumed interim seaport operations after Poro Point Industrial Corporation’s lease contract expired in 2024.
On the other hand, the redevelopment of San Fernando Airport will boost passenger capacity and enable it to accommodate commercial operations.
“The BCDA’s goal is to transform it into a commercial-grade airport by 2027,“ Bingcang said.
Construction will start this year with a budget of P250 million. “We earmarked P50 million to improve [its] ancillary facilities,“ Bingcang added.
In May 2025, South Korean firm Moon Engineering Co. expressed interest in a feasibility study on refurbishing the airport.
San Fernando Airport, also operated by PPMC, currently serves chartered flights and flying schools.
It is seen as an alternative to Loakan Airport in Baguio City, whose own upgrade is limited due to its mountainous terrain, Bingcang said.
Last year, BCDA posted P14.1 billion in cash revenues, surpassing its P10-billion target by over 40 percent and exceeding the P11.66 billion in 2024 by 20.9 percent.
