PPA clarifies waste dumping to sea

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Ports Authority broke its silence over the alleged "permitless" dumping of road materials to the sea, which it said was part of the widening and raising the access road of the city port as originally planned.

PPA information officer Epelito Arao-arao said the plan has already an environmental clearance certificate to widen the road and part of the P500,000 allotment for rehabilitation and repair of the city port and other ports in Bohol that were damaged by the earthquake last year.

Responding to the claims of the environment sector that the dumping of waste into the seawaters was improper, Arao-arao told The Freeman that PPA has already consulted this matter with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Pat Ruiz, former city planning officer, stated in her text message: "Went to PPA head office May 15 to inquire about the port rehabilitation plan that includes the road repair. I reported the dumping of the waste road materials to the seaside and inquire if that is part of the repair component. It is not part of the road repair, PPA vice-general manager Tomas Carlos said so."

Ruiz continued: "So he called project Engineer Richard  Ilupre to stop the dumping of waste road materials. I visited Engineer Ilupre past Wednesday and inquire their next steps. He has approached DENR to get the filling materials and ask me if I have contacts with other govt agencies to avail of said materials."

Arao-arao said the dumping was intended to make use of the road waste materials to help widen the access road to the port, adding that part of the improvement was the construction of a "temporary" office building office since the main PPA building at the port was destroyed by the earthquake last year.  (FREEMAN)