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Friday, July 07, 2006
Guv ‘stakes name’ on CICC
Despite another official’s dim forecast, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia assured constituents that kinks in the construction of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) can be addressed.
“We are going against all odds and we are delivering. We said we will deliver and we will because we can. I’m staking my name on it,” Garcia said.
She made the pronouncement after a “thorough discussion” with those involved in the construction.
They have agreed on the alternative mode of procurement they will use for the elevators, escalators, air-conditioning units and structural steels.
“All will go through what is provided for in RA 9184,” she said, referring to the new law on government procurement.
Garcia and Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. yesterday met with members of the bids and awards committee (BAC) for infrastructure, Capitol consultant Apollo Enriquez, CICC architect Manuel Guanzon and WT Construction owner Willy Te.
She went to the construction site at the Mandaue City Reclamation Area after the meeting.
“We’ve addressed the kinks that are besieging this project as in any other project... We are doing something really challenging but this will test the Cebuano spirit and capability to deliver,” Garcia said.
Garcia ordered the BAC to prepare by Tuesday all papers for the contiguous works for WT Construction and the invitation for
the list of prospective bidders for the structural steel.
In two days, 45 out of the 186 structural steel columns were erected. The rest will be completed in two weeks.
Including the roof and the beams, the work will be finished in 30 days instead of 45 days, said Sanchez, a civil engineer.
Three days ago, the vice governor said his confidence dropped to 60 percent because of bureaucracy. But yesterday, he said his level of confidence on the project rose up to 100 percent again.
“We are still ahead of schedule,” Garcia said.
She will brief Arroyo today, when the President visits the construction site.
Sanchez explained that his concern was not really much on the CICC structure but for items like elevators, escalators, chillers and airconditioning units.
This is because the items will be bought from abroad. The fabrication, delivery and installation of these items take time.
The bidding for the elevator and escalator failed because an eligibility check showed that not one of the interested bidders qualified.
Capitol published again the invitation to bid. Another failed bidding will lead them to purchase through direct negotiation.
It was also agreed that they will buy the structural steel through limited source bidding.
Sanchez told the technical working group to come up with a list of possible bidders for the structural steel.
WT will also bid for this, and will be given the privilege to match the lowest bid, being the original contractor for the project.
The CICC is especially constructed for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in December.
Finishing it on time has always been the challenge.
The project has a budget of P250 million but recent projection states that it will cost P375 million, including the landscaping and other finishing touches. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 7, 2006 issue)
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