COA questions Philippine Ports Authority’s ‘infinity pool’

Commission on Audit. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in La Union built a P10.835-million “infinity pool” and accompanying guest room in a coastal village in San Fernando City, La Union, which the Commission on Audit (COA) called out as “unnecessary.”

In its 2020 report, the COA said the construction of the pool and guest room at the PPA Training Center Compound (TCC) in Barangay Poro was “improper and wasteful,” as it also led to the demolition of a year-old canopy and a portion of a newly constructed perimeter fence.

Completed on Nov. 9 last year, the pool and guest room were programmed for 2019 as “a new priority project” of the northern Luzon unit of the PPA’s Port Management Office (PMO).

The project had a P12-million budget realigned from a port development project in the southern Luzon province of Camarines Sur, but subsequently had a revised contract cost of P10.835 million.

Vision, mission

The project also includes a pergola and a decorative rock wall.

As state auditors pointed out, it was part of the PPA’s mission to “provide modern, sustainable and resilient port infrastructures and facilities,” and its vision was to “provide port facilities and services at par with global best practices.”

The COA said the project appeared not to support that vision and mission.

The PPA, in response, said the improvements were made with the aim of increasing customer influx and earning higher income from nontraditional sources.

But the COA said the PPA “had been incurring losses” in the operations of its TCC.

It said the new guest room was not necessary, as existing rooms and facilities already sufficed to accommodate guests.

Yet the PPA still pursued the construction of the new facilities “without any supporting feasibility study, and seemingly, without regard [of] value-for-money,” auditors said.

Statement

In a statement on Monday responding to the COA, the PPA said the project included a total of four rooms as well as a function room and upgrading of the electrical system.

The agency emphasized that the training center “hosts the training of PPA personnel, including port police personnel, who need the pool for water exercises and training activities.”

The PPA added that “training center clients have requested the improvement of the facility to include those amenities so that it can earn higher revenues from rentals.”