DAVAO CITY – An alliance of urban poor organizations here said they are strongly opposing the Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project.
Benjie Badal, spokesperson of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, said if the project pushes through thousands of families living in the coastal area of Barangay Sasa will be affected.
Badal said around 500 families in the Parola area or coastal area of Brgy. Sasa who are facing the threat of demolition to give way to the expansion of the Sasa Wharf.
Kadamay believes that the “overpricing of the Sasa Modernization Project was intentionally done”.
Badal said there was a connivance so that foreign investors will win the bidding process against the local investors who cannot compete with the huge capital needed for the project.
The original proposed budget of Philippine Ports Authority for the Sasa Modernization Project costs P4 billion. Badal said “when the International Finance Corporation (IFC-WB) under World Bank intervened, the project cost increased to P17 billion.”
“Overpriced cost would also benefit the Aquino administration who will use it for election fund for the 2016 elections,” Badal said.
The group said they are calling on the House of Representatives and Senate to investigate the “overpricing” of the port project.
