problem with php5 port & where ports are to look to see if dependants are available

[Bob]

The php5 port seems to look in the port dir tree for installed dependants
instead of the /ver/db/pkg
I have all of php5 dependants preinstalled as packages.

I install the dependants for (port named links. Which is a command line
browser) as packages and then do the make install clean command in the LINKS
port tree directory so I can change the install defaults to use sva support
and it finds all its dependants are loaded and complies fine.

Using this same technique for php5 it says the dependants are not installed
when I run the php5 port.  Looks like the port php5 is looking in the ports
directory tree to determine if the dependants are installed. I think this is
incorrect behavior.

Is this a problem in the way the php5 port is written?

It's my understanding that ports are suppose to be written to check
/ver/db/pkg to determine if dependants are available.