Buenavacz gets failing grade from govt planners on P350 M Capitol project
David Buenavacz, president of Stategic and
Comprehensive Consultants, Inc., and his
assistant Bong Tandoc face incessant grilling from
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan panel.
Members of the 9th Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) now wants a "full-blown" Feasibility Study on the P350 million planned Convention Center.
This, after the SP body agreed on the sentiments of government planners, private Certified Public Accountants, Tourism Regional Director Edwin Trompeta and Trade and Industry Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena. The group in an over-all evaluation contended that the Feasibility Study submitted was not acceptable and according to standards.
"Poorly done and erroneous" came the similar opinions of the resource persons invited by the SP probe body with Regional Director Trompeta pointing out significant lapses on the Feasibility Study profile.
For instance, the Province as "regional center for Western Visayas" and the region's "financial center and trade hub" actually belong to Iloilo City. The Province as "convention destination" is likewise attributed and a priority of the city. If proper attribution was made, Director Trompeta said construction of a Convention Center is not really in accordance with the province's thrust. Instead he said, the development of Bucari in the Second District could have been the right project.
"There was an error in presentation," Trompeta told the Committee. "For the Province of Iloilo, the concern is something else."
Yet there's more. For Ramiro Galanto, president of the Certified Public Accountants here, the Feasibility Study as made by "Capitol Advisor" David Buenavacz lacks "major elements."
With what Buenavacz managed to present, Galanto said "it cannot be appreciated" much less come up to the standards of what a "good Feasibility Study" should be.
Galanto added how from the looks of it, the Buenavacz study "was poorly prepared" as he went on to disagree with Buenavacz's "market research" that Iloilo has not enough facilities.
Galanto shared how a recent convention gathered over 1,500 Certified Public Accountants in the city with all "comfortably accommodated by existing hotels and restaurants."
"A good Feasibility Study should have comprehensive financial ratios and easy to comprehend which are not present here," he added.
Questions were also raised on the supposed "market research" with Board Member Arthur Defensor Jr. (Third District), Committee Chairman seeking for specifics.
Buenavacz's associate, Bong Tandoc said vendors and commercial lessors were indeed asked however he cannot recall nor identify any offhand.
Meantime, key players in Iloilo's hotel and tourism industry decried the lack of coordination and consultation with their group. As partners for Iloilo's growth and development, the group represented by Teresa Sarabia of the Iloilo Hotel Resorts and Restaurant Association (IHRRA) said no consultation was made at all. Same thing with the Iloilo Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB).
Sarabia in her statement said there may be a need for a Convention Center but one that will accommodate 5,000 people and more. And not anything less that said capacity since existing hotels and resorts here can already answer the demands.
Trompeta for his part submitted actual figures regarding Convention Center operations throughout the country.
"How can we market the Convention Center here when the plan does not even have rooms for the delegates?," he added while citing how current practice have various hotels offering the venue for free for as long as food and beverages are part of the deal.
If Buenavacz' Feasibility Study is to be believed, the Convention Center will raise huge revenues for the Province. It even cited "average rental" of P90,000 "per event per day."
It also stated that the P350 million if pushed through is a "worthwhile venture."