CPA resumes work at pier

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Ports Authority has resumed construction works for its new deck port facility (Phase 1) at Berths 31-33 at back of the National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu, despite having no clearance from the Cebu City government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Last Friday, CPA announced over its Facebook page that it has already conducted a clearing operation last April 3 yet and has sped up construction work and doing it even at night since.

During the clearing operation, all railings that the city government installed days back as barricades to obstruct the entry to the construction site were removed.

CPA said the clearing was made to restore the safety and security of the port; it likewise repaired the damaged gate that was cut and welded open last April 1, 2024.

“It is our commitment to the Office of the Transportation Security (OTS) to maintain and implement the national transport security plan, therefore, we have to secure the perimeter of the port and prevent unauthorized access,” said CPA General Manager Kit Comendador.

Archt. Florante Catalan, the City’s Office of the Building Official chief, told The Freeman that up to this time no construction permits and the likes have been issued to CPA.

Last April 1, the city government enforced a work stoppage on the port expansion project after the CPA continued to defied a cease and desist order issued earlier.

The city set up a barricade, dismantled the construction workers’ bunkhouse, and cleared equipment and construction materials used for the said project.

In a separate post on that incident, CPA said personnel of the city government, particularly from OBO); the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement; and the City Legal Office forcibly entered the port premises despite it being outside the city’s territorial jurisdiction, in defiance of the Writ of Injunction issued in favor of CPA.

“R.A. 7621 or the Charter of the Cebu Port Authority empowers the Cebu Port Commission to manage, administer, operate, maintain, improve and develop, coordinate and otherwise govern the activities of all the ports within its territorial jurisdiction,” CPA said.

CPA also said that through the charter a survey can be done to establish “by engineering design the exact location, system and character of any and all port facilities which it may own, construct, establish, effectuate, operate or control”.

The charter, CPA said, “accordingly can also provide and maintain port facilities including accessory buildings and installations within its territorial jurisdiction on its own or through the private sector”.

“Thus, we strongly condemn these flagrant acts of oppression, harassment, grave abuse and usurpation of authority, and blatant disregard of the law and judicial processes committed by men and women in the seat of power who publicly display knowledge of the law yet conceal a weak ethical core,” it further said.

CPA said it “will continue to rise above these challenges and will hold the interest of the public and the stakeholders over all by staying firm to its commitment to deliver safe, efficient and effective port services”.

Last April 2, 2024 DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-7 also issued a notice of violation to CPA for commencing the expansion of the project without an amended Environmental Compliance Certificate.

CPA was made to explain within 15 days from the receipt of the notice or face the consequences.

 As of this writing, CPA has not responded yet to the DENR-EMB notice.