Finally, the Regional Development Council put its foot down and recommended the termination of contract of MAC Builders to proceed as contractor of the Tacloban City International Airport.
Termination!
This is the decision of the Regional Development Council (RDC) as it finally put its foot down and proceeded to recommend to end the contract which binds MAC Builders as the contractor for the Tacloban City International Airport.
During a deliberation held on August 25, out of 25 members and representatives, the motion for termination was supported by 15 of them while Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado and Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) Director Mylene Rosales deferred.
Several officials chose to be silent rather than cast their votes, including Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla and Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan.
This crucial meeting eventually ended after a futile attempt of the contractor to defend their lapses before the region’s highest policy making body.
We are not stupid!
Several private sector representatives were shocked with the MAC Builders' bold attempt to minimize the slippage by putting a portion of what was supposed to be in the first phase to the second phase of construction.
This was so much so that the officials felt that “these people are making them look like idiots” who would easily fall for “technicalities.”
Furthermore, said “plans” that were given three full weeks of preparation were not even approved by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Hence, this was gleaned as a waste of the time of everyone present.
What is more upsetting was the fact that despite the obvious irresponsible handling of the project, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) seemed adamant to issue a termination after an earlier “gentleman’s agreement” with the company to finish the project. This is a rookie move for people who had been with the government agency for years.
Even a contract was not able to move these people. What more can an undocumented “gentleman’s agreement” do?
Last-minute move
Several requests for appearance were not able to move them until the last minute, what made them think their “presentation” can still convince seasoned officials?
As the resolution to terminate moves up to the national level.
It is now a waiting game whether DOTr would listen and resolve the issue or if further actions had to be taken just so Eastern Visayas’ biggest and most anticipated airport project would push through after months of lack of progress.
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