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Saturday, July 08, 2006
Arroyo glows over CICC project
By Minerva B. Gerodias and Rose O. Versoza
CEBU CITY -- If any worries remained about drawn-out biddings or delayed supplies, there was no sign of them when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the site of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) Friday.
CICC architect Manuel Guanzon informed the President that as of last Thursday, they have erected 44 out of the 186 columns.
All the columns will be in place in 30 days, instead of 45, and Guanzon assured the President, "We can finish on schedule with everybody's help."
"Good, good, good! Congratulations!" replied the President, who made her first visit since work on the CICC began in Mandaue City.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia also assured the President that the project will be finished in time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in December, "as a testament to the Cebuanos' capacity to deliver on time."
As he congratulated local officials, Ambassador Marciano Paynor also advised them to link up the management of the CICC with an international convention group, to gain international exposure for the facility.
All in all, about 42.03 percent of the work on the CICC has been done, and the Provincial Government is determined to finish it by Nov. 15.
"I'm convinced because she is a decisive governor. She is a good executive and she knows what she is doing," Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo said in a separate interview.
Ahead
Capitol consultant Apollo Enriquez said the construction is still one week ahead of schedule.
There was a slight delay in the delivery of the structural steel for the superstructure, but now that the materials are at the site, work is expected to proceed on or even slightly ahead of schedule, he added.
President Arroyo's site visit lasted about 10 minutes, and she immediately proceeded to the Malacañang sa Sugbo for a Cabinet meeting.
She also attended a briefing about the Asean summit preparations, but no mention was made of any possible procurement problems for the CICC.
Governor Garcia said she will not ask for any help from the President in terms of the procurement process, because everything will be done through the New Government Procurement Act.
The Provincial Government has decided to use alternative modes of procurement for the structural steel, elevator, escalator and air-conditioning unit, to meet the target completion date.
Wait for it
Shortly after President Arroyo left the construction site, the task force on security for the Asean, headed by Deputy Director General Isidro Lapeña, also arrived.
They wanted to visit a possible site for their rear command post near the CICC, as well as the parking area for over 200 patrol cars that will soon be dispatched to Cebu for the Asean activities.
Paynor, who heads the Philippine national organizing committee for the Asean, assured reporters Friday that there are funds for Asean-related infrastructure projects in Cebu, but their actual work will start "closer to the date of the summit."
During his brief meeting with Mandaue City officials Friday, Paynor explained that the road repair will be done sometime September or October yet, so that during the summit, the roads would still look new.
If the road projects were done now, there would be a need for some repainting and minor repairs as the summit draws closer and that would mean additional expenses.
"Your job is to ensure that the area outside the CICC is well-maintained. You have done more than your part," Paynor told Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano and the other city officials Friday.
Group work
Although politics cannot be entirely avoided, Paynor reminded them that each local government has its own participation and yet, the Asean preparation is a "group effort."
He warned them that problems are expected to come up even up until the last foreign guest leaves the country.
Although the concerned local government units can choose the management team for the CICC, Paynor advised them to tie it up with an international convention center group so it would attract the foreign market.
"In the end, you'll gain from it," Paynor said.
As for the Asean budget, Paynor said it is being taken partly from government savings and partly from other sources.
While there is already a budget for the Asean-related infrastructure in Cebu, the ambassador could still not ascertain how much exactly it would be.
"We don't know the exact budget because there are a lot of budgetary needs that were not considered before," said Paynor.
Security
He said there are "extraneous problems" that are being considered, like the informal settlers who would be affected by these infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, Lapeña, accompanied by officials from the Police Regional Office 7, also visited the CICC and the unfinished Uniwide building nearby.
The task force on security is eyeing on the unfinished building as a possible parking space for the patrol cars for the Asean, which will be arriving in Cebu soon.
Ouano told them that he will still discuss this matter with businessman Carlos Co, who is leasing the property from the City Government.
The mayor is also amenable to the idea that the small building inside the CICC compound, which is being used as a staff house or office for the CICC contractor, be used as the rear command post of the Asean security team. (Sun.Star Cebu)
(July 8, 2006 issue)
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6 mutineers, 5 others captured