The construction of the legislative building at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) was postponed due to the celebration of the MassKara Festival this month.
Councilor Jude Thaddues Sayson, chairperson of the City Council committee on appropriation and finance, said Tuesday, October 3, that the area for the construction of the legislative building behind the BCGC will be utilized for the celebration of the festival.
He said the contractor had already been given notice to proceed, but Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has asked them to start the construction of the building by the end of October.
"So they will start it in November, and then we will have our groundbreaking in the area,” he added.
Sayson noted that the contractor for the project assured to finish the project in 18 months.
Lawyer Hermilo Pauyon, head of Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), earlier said only one bidder participated in the pre-bidding conference for the construction of the four-storey legislative building.
He added that the floor area is bigger than the BCGC.
Its fund is part of the P4.4 billion approved loan for the city government from the Development Bank of the Philippines.
Sayson said the bank will release the mobilization funds to the contractor, and then they will submit a progress billing for the project.
Once it is completed, he said they are hopeful that they can occupy the building before the next election period.
Benitez earlier said it’s time to have a new building for the City Council because the old one is already crowded.
He said their old offices will be occupied by other offices, especially those offices at the Old City Hall.*