DoTC firm on Ro-Ro deal review

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) said its ongoing review of several billion-peso projects approved by the last administration was meant to ensure that the government gets the best deal possible.

DoTC Undersecretary Dante Velasco on Monday hit back at French consortium Eiffel Matiere for threatening to sue the government for delays in the Greater Maritime Access (GMA) ports project.

A review committee formed by DoTC Secretary Jose de Jesus recommended the project’s cancellation after finding several onerous provisions in the P11-billion contract.

“We are reviewing all of the project’s provisions. It’s well within the responsibility of the DoTC to review the contract so that we can get the best terms for the government,” Velasco said in an interview.

Eiffel Matiere’s local representative, Patrick Azanza, at the weekend said the company may file a complaint against the government with international arbitration courts if the deal is scuttled.

The project, which involves the construction of 72 French-designed roll-on, roll-off ports around the country, is funded by a loan from Paris-based BNP Paribas. The bank appointed Eiffel Matiere as the project’s contractor.

The construction of the ports was supposed to start last year. However, the contract was included in several projects put on hold by the DoTC to check for possible irregularities.

“The price of the project is not the only factor. There are other considerations,” Velasco said.