LEGAZPI CITY – Engr. Nestor Cayanan and Engr. Arnold Quitevis of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) head office told members of the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC) that the P200-million Pantao Port was designed and constructed according to specifications and blamed force majeure (typhoon Milenyo) for the collapse of the project.

        Chaired by Romeo Escandor, regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the RPMC is tasked to look into the design and construction of Pantao Port which collapsed after it was hit by typhoon Milenyo on Sept. 27, 2006.

        During the video presentation, assistant regional port manager Rene Agao said the project was designed and constructed according to specifications. He identified the contractor as Equi-Parco Construction Corp.

        The project was started on July 29, 2003 and completed on June 1, 2005. On May 27, 2005, President Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated Pantao Port which was billed as the President’s flagship project for the Bicol Region.

        During the open forum, Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzalez asked the PPA officials why, despite millions of pesos allocated for the construction of a modern, all-weather port, Pantao Port had collapsed when struct by typhoon Milenyo which was not even classified as a supertyphoon.

        The governor wanted to know if the PPA had erred in making the design or if the contractor had used inferior construction materials.

        All the PPA representatives could say was they did not anticipate the 179.5 to 199.5 kph winds of typhoon Milenyo, considering it is facing an open sea, China Sea.

        But Engr. Elmer Francisco, regional coordinator of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), asked the PPA why they did not follow the standards for the construction of infrastructure that can withstand the minimum wind velocity of 250 kph especially for the Bicol region which is in the typhoon belt.

        Marcial E. Tuanqui Jr., RDC private sector representative, said that since the body was not satisfied with the answers of the PPA, he would pass a resolution in the RDC urging the creation of an independent body or the Ombudsman that should investigate PPA and its contractor to pinpoint responsibility for the collapse of the P200-million modern regional part that has never put to good use.