TACLOBAN CITY — Documents obtained by DAILY TRIBUNE indicate that the Philippine Ports Authority was aware of the Calbayog Coastal Road Project years before Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon flagged alleged permit issues that he said contributed to construction delays.

Dizon made the remarks during a recent inspection of road conditions along the Samar section of the Maharlika Highway, where his first stop was the ongoing Calbayog Coastal Road Project.

During the visit, Dizon said the project’s completion had been delayed due to the absence of a height clearance from the PPA for the bridge structure. He criticized officials of the DPWH Samar 1st District Engineering Office, saying the bridge was designed without securing the necessary clearance and that those involved could be held accountable.

“Aalamin ko kung bakit hindi sila sumunod sa proseso. Was it an oversight or negligence? We have to look at that,” Dizon told reporters accompanying his trip.

He added that DPWH officials and personnel could face charges if negligence is established, noting that the project affects many residents and motorists.

Dizon said a 5.2-meter vertical clearance for the bridge is acceptable in principle and sufficient for port operations.

However, a memorandum dated March 9, 2021 from the PPA Engineering Office shows that the port authority had been informed of the project, including the proposed bridge access road in Calbayog City.

The memorandum, signed by Constante Fariñas, then assistant general manager of the PPA Engineering Office, was addressed to the port manager of the Port Management Office for Eastern Leyte and Samar. It referenced an earlier coordination meeting involving the DPWH, the Calbayog City local government unit, and the PPA’s Terminal Management Office in Calbayog.

“With regard to the proposed bridge access road, this Office occurs with PMO Eastern Leyte/Samar’s recommendation that standard vertical of 17 feet (5 meters) shall be considered, which is pursuant to the DPWH’s issued Department Order (D.O.) No. 53 series of 2016 stating that vertical clearance above the roadway shall not be less than 4.88 meters over the entire roadway width to which an allowance of 0.15 meter shall be added for future additional road surfacing,” the memorandum read.

The document added that the proposed vertical clearance “will ensure sufficient clearance of tall vehicles passing underneath the bridge and will not cause any vehicular restrictions to port operations.”

The Calbayog City Coastal Bypass Road project, initiated during the term of former Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, aims to connect Barangay San Policarpo to Barangay Rawis to divert traffic away from the city’s business district and ease congestion in the downtown area.

The project includes a four-lane roadway with bike lanes and pedestrian areas, as well as a major bridge and breakwater designed to support future port development.