Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has given Manfel Cargo Shipping Corp. until February to complete repairs on the damaged Navotas Coastal Dike, warning that failure to comply will result in multiple legal cases.
Dizon said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will issue a demand letter requiring Manfel to fully repair more than a 50-meter portion of the dike that was damaged after being struck by one of the company’s vessels last year.
“It is their responsibility. They caused the damage, so they must fix it,” Dizon said.
The Navotas Coastal Dike serves as a key flood-control structure protecting low-lying communities from storm surges and flooding.
The DPWH said it will closely monitor the project to ensure the repairs meet safety and quality standards and are not substandard.
Dizon noted that High Tone Shipping, owned by businessman Zaldy Co, has already completed repairs on a separate section of the seawall damaged by one of its vessels.
He said work on the Manfel-damaged section should proceed despite reported payment disputes between the company and its contractor.
Reports indicated that Manfel has paid only about 10 percent of the repair cost, prompting the contractor to suspend construction.
Dizon stressed that contractual issues do not justify delays in repairing critical flood-control infrastructure, particularly in highly vulnerable coastal areas such as Navotas. “If the repair is not completed within the month of February, we will immediately file stacked cases with the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General,” he said.
