Political meddling stalls Puerto Princesa project

The Department of Transportation and Communications blamed the meddling of unscrupulous politicians in the bidding for the more than P130 million contract to rehabilitate the Puerto Princesa airport as one of the main causes of the delay of the project.

According to the DOTC, local politicians were pushing for their favored contractors to undertake the multi-million project without public bidding, causing the delays in the bidding process.

“There are reports reaching the DOTC that some politicians want their favored contractor to implement the project even without public bidding. These reports caused further delay in the implementation of the project as the DOTC takes appropriate measures to ensure that proper processes and procedures are followed,” the DOTC said in a press statement.

The rehabilitation of the Puerto Princesa airport’s main terminal building has caused much inconvenience to tourists flocking to the Palawan capital city the past several days for the Palarong Pam­bansa 2008 being hosted by the city government headed by Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

The games formally opened last Sunday. The inconvenience brought by the airport rehabilitation works has led Hagedorn to lambast the DOTC for its failure to provide an adequately comfortable temporary terminal, forcing airlines to pick up or unload their passengers to a hot open-air terminal which is practically nothing more than a roofed shed.

DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza had recently ordered the deployment of four five-ton airconditioning units to Puerto Princesa to improve matters at the airport.

However, the aircon units are useless since the make-shift terminal now being used is an open air shed.

On the reported meddling of politicians in the bidding for the airport rehab project, Mendoza said that the DOTC will prevent any irregularity to take place.

“The project will be implemented strictly following the prescribed bidding rules and regulations,” Mendoza said in the DOTC statement.