LEGAZPI CITY - Joepet Fernandez, barangay chairman of Pantao, Libon, Albay has described the P200 million Pantao Port as “a total wreck” after it was battered by typhoons Milenyo and Reming last year.

        Fernandez made this observation when he testified before the Committee on Public Works of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan chaired by Board Member Celso Aytona last Tuesday.

        But representatives of the Philippines Ports Authority (PPA) Central Office who were invited to shed light on the investigation did not appear. So BM Aytona has reset the next committee hearing before the SP regular session on Tuesday.

        “In my observation, Phase I where the ships are supposed to dock is a total wreck after typhoon Milenyo battered it twisting even its posts. The roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) portion was also destroyed by typhoon Reming.” Fernandez said.

        He added that the regional port would be useless unless the government would pour in millions of pesos again to rehabilitate it.

        Fernandez lamented that they (people of Pantao) were not provided with a copy of the program of work so that they could monitor the implementation of the project.

        According to Fernandez, the concrete houses in Pantao have withstood the two typhoons but the new port was destroyed.

        He identified the contractors as Equiparco for Phase I and Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. for Phase II.

        In a separate interview, Gov. Gonzalez said the PPA Manila will have to explain to the people of Albay what went wrong with Pantao Port, the President’s flagship project in Bicol.

        “If the design was not strong enough to withstand typhoons, the PPA Manila will have to answer. But if the contractor did not follow the design, then the contractor should take the blame,” the governor said.