Selling the CICC
-A A +AWednesday, March 6, 2013
I AGREE with third district congressman and One Cebu party gubernatorial candidate Pablo John Garcia when he cautioned acting Gov. Agnes Magpale against making any long-term decision and urged her to let the new governor handle the fate of the controversial Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).
Magpale is supporting the plan of the Mandaue City Government to buy the CICC and convert it into a new a City Hall or government building. This was only one of the options mulled by Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes. The City of Mandaue is part owner of the controversial facility as it owns the lot where it stands now.
Former Mandaue City mayor and now Provincial Board Member Thadeo Ouano signed a memorandum of agreement with the Provincial Government represented by Gov. Gwen Garcia for a joint venture. The CICC was constructed for the 2007 Asean Summit hosted by Cebu.
Magpale is just acting governor following the sixmonths suspension of Gwen. Her power will only be until June 30 when the newly elected governor would assume office.
And Magpale is only running for vice governor in the May elections. So it is useless to talk about matters like this, as this is beyond her authority. Let the next governor handle it, Madam.
The idea to privatize the CICC cropped up after an audit report that showed that it is losing financially. It generates revenues but, as of this time, it spends more than what it earns.
Since CICC’s operation five years ago, Capitol has been subsidizing its operations and it already incurred more than P40 million in losses even if Capitol has hired a management team to handle its events and promotion. Cebu City south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña, Gwen's number one critic, proposed to convert the CICC into a funeral parlor. Mas maayo pa kunong himoong punerarya kay mokita pa.
But wait a minute. Can the Mandaue City Government or any private entity buy CICC or take over its operation when it is still under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman? The P850-million facility was perceived to have been tainted with anomalies, prompting the anti-graft body to conduct an investigation.
Will the Ombudsman allow the sale of the CICC when it is still conducting an investigation? Estudyohi kuno na ninyo sa dili pa mo magpataka og plano.
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Following the near fatal car accident of a beauty titlist and her friend at the Banilad flyover, the Cebu Traffic Operations Management (Citom) immediately conducted an inventory on all flyovers to determine how safe they are. Mayor Michael, an opposer of flyovers, said he felt vindicated in his stand against the construction of more flyovers.
The mayor said construction of flyovers is a total waste of government funds as these do not serve their purpose to solve traffic congestion. There are now numerous flyovers in the city but we are still experiencing traffic problems. He prefers road widening.
A certain doctor Maamo, who is running against former congressman Raul Del Mar, who is known as the father of flyovers, offered to construct more hospitals instead if he wins. Nag-traffic man gani bisan naay mga flyovers, unsa pa kaha kun hospital ang tukuron diha sa atong mga kalsada.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 06, 2013.
Opinion
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