Friday, October 06, 2006 Chick to mayor: Give architects a chance to make the design By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
FORMER Bacolod City vice mayor Ramiro "Chick" Garcia clarified Thursday he is not against the plan of the City Government to build a New Government Center or an "ax to grind" against Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Garcia, an architect, stressed though that the City should already have the architectural and engineering designs, two basic requirements in a bidding, before the scheduled Dec. 27 bidding.
The designs, explained Garcia, will guide bidders on what design and concept to be followed and the materials to be used.
"There must also be a specific land area to be utilized for the project for the bidders to know the size of the floor area among others," he said in an interview.
Garcia believes that the playing field will not be equal for all the bidders if these two basic designs are not present.
Bidders will be left to present their own designs, concepts and the floor areas to be used.
"If the City would like to adhere to the so-called standard bidding, then the City Planning Office or the City Engineer's Office should have already come up with these designs so that the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) can present them to the bidders and guide them in drafting their respective plans, materials to be used and budget to bid," Garcia said.
He also stressed that he is not questioning nor is he envious of the mayor's plan.
"In fact, I am for the construction of the New Government Center provided that proper procedures will be observed prior to the bidding proper," he added.
Local architects
As to the Center's architectural design, Garcia appeals to Leonardia to give Bacolod architects a chance to join in the conceptualization process.
"This is Bacolod and Bacolod has a lot of the best architects that could draw the best concept and design for the project that the City is planning to put up. I hope the mayor would entertain this thought and not consider my suggestions as being against him and the project," Garcia said.
Meanwhile, City Legal Officer Allan Zamora disagreed with the opinion of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that the BAC chairman and vice chairman should not be co-terminus employees of the City Government.
"It's only applicable for the chairman and not for the vice chairman and the members," he claimed.
Zamora though refused to comment and instead referred to City Administrator Lorendo Dilag to explain his side on the matter.
Dilag and Zamora are presently the BAC chairman and vice chairman, respectively.
Dilag could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Erratum
Meanwhile, the City Mayor's Office yesterday clarified that it is not Leonardia's brother Prospero who underwent a heart bypass operation but the latter's wife, Nena.
The mayor appealed to the media on Wednesday to spare his brother Prospero from criticisms as he claimed that his brother and the rest of the Leonardia family members have nothing to do with the project.
He then labeled the daily attack on him and his family by several radio stations as being part of a "demolition job" against him and his administration.
Prospero was accused in some radio reports and commentaries of meeting Aber Canlas of Hilmarcs Construction in one of the hotels in Bacolod.
Hilmarcs is one of the 13 contract firms that applied for bidding for the project.
The mayor, however, denied the allegation.
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