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Saturday, October 28, 2006
Cebu convention center cost hike by P200M seen
By Katrina N. Tabanao
CEBU CITY -- The cost of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) may reach P650 million, or P400 million more than the original estimate.
This was the projection of Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr., a civil engineer, who said there is a big possibility the cost of the CICC may increase because of the rising prices of materials.
"Being a technical man, I know that the project needs that amount of money to be completed," Sanchez said.
Sanchez added that if his projections are proven right, the Cebu Provincial Board, which he presides, is willing to approve another supplemental budget of P200 million for the project.
The original budget was only P250 million.
To date, the CICC's official budget has hit P450 million because of the increase in the prices of structural steel.
The choice of structural steel was influenced, in part, by the tight schedule for building the CICC.
Unlike a steel-and-concrete structure, which requires that the work be done in phases with extra time for curing, a structural steel project allows work to be done simultaneously in several areas, Sanchez explained in a separate interview.
The facility, which is already 97 percent complete, will be used for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in December. It features several meeting halls and the international media center, which Malacañang will furnish once the CICC is completed on November 15.
According to engineer Ernesto Biernes, head of the project monitoring office of the CICC, the 97 percent completed includes the elevator, which is in place and undergoing test runs, the painting of walls, concreting, flooring, roofing and installation of the water and lighting systems.
The air-conditioning units, Biernes added, were installed the other day and will be tested on November 7.
Biernes said the remaining three percent represents carpeting, completion of the lavatories, tiling and painting of ceilings, among others.
The escalators will be installed in a few days, he added.
The carpeting of the floors will start on November 7 and will be fully completed in a week or two after.
The furniture, he said, will be delivered after the deadline on November 15.
"By November 15, the CICC will be a good-looking structure. It will be complete," Biernes said.
Despite doubts on whether the CICC will be completed or not, CICC architect Manuel Guanzon assured that the facility will be finished on time.
He has placed a bet P1.5 million for its completion on the deadline. (Sun.Star Cebu)
(October 28, 2006 issue)
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