ONE Maritime Group and the Philippine Interisland Shipping Association (PISA) called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of National Defense (DND) to reject the P4.87 billion bid by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for Contract Package 1 of the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) Project.
The groups cited critical risks to national security and negative impact on local industries.
They objected to CHEC’s affiliation with China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC), sanctioned by the US for its role in the illegal reclamation and militarization of islands in the West Philippine Sea.
Awarding a critical infrastructure contract to a state-owned enterprise (SOE) involved in activities that violate Philippine sovereignty is unacceptable, they added.
The BCIB’s location is strategically sensitive, connecting Mariveles, Bataan, to Naic, Cavite. These areas are near key defense facilities, including a Navy anti-submarine base, a Coast Guard harbor, and the Navy’s main base near Sangley Point. The letter warned that granting a Chinese SOE control over the bridge presents a risk of surveillance and intelligence gathering on national defense assets.
They also raised concerns about CHEC’s and CCCC’s history of business integrity issues. CCCC has a documented history of bid collusion and fraudulent practices, leading to its blacklisting by the World Bank in past Philippine road projects. The groups worry that the low bid may result in substandard workmanship on the BCIB.
The associations emphasized the need to protect the local maritime industry. They noted that past projects awarded to Chinese SOEs often saw minimal use of local labor, materials, and services. They demand that the DPWH mandate the use of Philippine-flagged vessels and contract Filipino shipowners for the marine logistics component, ensuring the project supports national development and local employment.
“We warn the government that projects secured by Chinese SOEs have historically resulted in minimal trickle-down benefits to the Philippine economy. In previous Chinese-built projects, over 80 percent of materials, labor, and design work came directly from China. We demand that the DPWH, as well as the Maritime Industry Authority ensure that the BCIB project is built with a commitment to national development, which includes the mandatory prioritization of Philippine-flagged vessels and the contracting of our Filipino shipowners and operators for the crucial marine logistics component of the project. A flagship Philippine project must be an engine for the Filipino domestic shipping industry, not a conduit for foreign companies to circumvent our rules and deprive our local industry of livelihood,” said PISA President Mark Matthew Parco.
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