Calderon: Passenger Terminal needs no ECC

Calderon: Passenger Terminal needs no ECC

It is still uncertain when to start the construction of the Passenger Terminal at the Dumaguete City Port says Rainier Gerona, Executive Vice President of PERCC Construction and Development Corporation who won the bidding of the project.

Gerona claims that they cannot proceed with the construction since the Philippine Ports Authority failed to comply an Environmental Compliance Certificate or ECC.

Gerona sent a letter dated October 19 to Raul Santos, Port District Manager for Corporate Affairs and Special Projects informing him that their company cannot proceed with the construction unless an ECC be furnished by PPA.

According to him, their company is also very eager to start the project but their hands are tangled with the fact that the PPA failed to acquire an ECC.

Earlier, Raul Santos sent a Notice to Proceed towards PERCClast October 18.

Santos has guaranteed Mayor Agustin Perdices that the construction of the Passenger Terminal will start before the visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 29 since Mayor Perdices threatened to report long delay of the project to the President.

Meanwhile, Port Manager Noemi Calderon said that there is no need for them to get an ECC inorder to start the project.

According to Calderon, PPA applied for a Certificate of Non-Compliance to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that excuses the PPA to acquire an ECC.

Calderon added that this action was based on the advice of Silliman University President and former DENR Undersecretary Ben Malayang III.

Calderon also challenged PERCC Construction to affirm if they still want to pursue the project.

He said that PERCC was good enough to join the bidding but then failed to realize the project.

The Port Manager threatened to award the project to the third lowest bidder.