66 RoRo projects to be cancelled

TRINIDAD, Bohol, Philippines – President Aquino yesterday declared that he would cancel the contracts for 66 out of the 72 roll-on roll-off (RORO) ports considered as among the flagship projects of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“We’ll cancel the contract and the contractor will reportedly sue us. If they sue us, unfortunately the one I replaced agreed that the case would be tried abroad,” Aquino said in Filipino following the inauguration of the new municipal building here.

“That’s true, am not kidding. It’s there in the contract – we will be sued abroad,” the President said as he expressed willingness to face lawsuits for supposed breach of contract.

Aquino said the Philippines does not need 72 RORO ports because these have apparently been made as a source of corruption for government officials, especially since there will be no more warranty for contractors once these ports are built in typhoon-prone areas.

Each port costs around P218 million, when such could only cost P91 million, leaving P127 million to corruption.

The President said he already coordinated with Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II regarding the revocation of 66 of the 72 RORO contracts. 

Aquino estimated that some P15 billion in government funds would go to waste if these projects push through.

“What’s worse is that the ports are being put up in typhoon-prone areas, and if they get damaged there’s no warranty from the contractors,” he explained.

New Panglao airport

Before he went to Trinidad town, Aquino ordered various national government agencies to revisit the proposed contract for the construction of the new Bohol airport in Tagbilaran.

The P8.4-billion airport to rise in the municipality of Panglao topped the agenda of his first visit in Bohol since he assumed the presidency.

Aquino said the government has allocated funds needed for the project.

“The first meeting we had with Governor (Edgardo) Chatto had to deal with the airport, there is an outlay of P1 billion in the current General Appropriations Act and another P1.2 billion in the 2012 General Appropriations Act… so that’s P2.2 billion of a projected P8.4-billion fund necessary for the creation of the Panglao airport,” the President said.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, who was with the President, said there is an expected 50 percent increase in tourist influx to the region.

The Bohol airport features better communication and navigational facilities, and can also accommodate smaller aircraft such as Airbus 319 and Airbus 320 while its 2.5-kilometer runway can service bigger airplanes like the Airbus 330.