Construction of the P260 million-worth Iloilo-Guimaras ferry terminal at the old Rotary Park, Parola has been halted anew because the city government is waiting for the Philippine Coast Guard-Iloilo District building to be finished this year.

The said project also faces legal questions especially on the awarding of the ferry terminal building project to DoubleDragon Properties Inc.

Last November, Iloilo City Government Legal Officer Atty. Junio Jacela announced “it’s all systems go” for the construction of the ferry terminal building unless stopped by the court.

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said they just want everything to be in order before construction starts this joint project of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and DoubleDragon Properties Inc.

“Wala man kita naga dali sina nga project. Sin-o diri naga dali haw?” he asked when he was asked by the media about the update on the project.

He said that the terminal building will be on the one-hectare property which, based on the Presidential Proclamation of President Benigno Aquino III, has become government-owned. 

It is shared by the city government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and PCG.

To lessen the government’s counterpart, the City decided to make this a public-private partnership (PPP).

The DOTC will share P 125 million for the construction of the slope protection embankment and other site developments while the private company (DoubleDragon), will fund the construction of the terminal building.

Jacela said the awarding of the project to DoubleDragon followed the process based on City Regulation Ordinance No. 2012-213 – “an ordinance adopting, using and utilizing joint ventures agreement by and between the City of Iloilo and non-governmental and people’s organization and/or any other party to engage in the delivery among others, of certain basic services, capability building and livelihood projects, and to develop local enterprises, designed to improved productivity and income, spur industrialization, promote ecological balance and enhance the economic and social well-being of its people, providing further the mechanics, guidelines and procedures for such contractual arrangement.”

The lawyer added the contract’s legality for the ferry terminal project was also based on the Article 66 (Joint venture and cooperative program or undertakings) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Local Code of 1991.

Jacela said that DoubleDragon’s contract was negotiated after the first bidding failed due to the failure of two challengers to submit their pre-qualification documents.

One of them, Megaworld Corporation expressed intention to join the bidding last August but failed to submit their documents within 30 days of the bidding process.

“It follows that the bid of DoubleDragon is a negotiated contract as no other bidders challenged”, he ended.*