Fate of P350M Capitol Convention Center out in 2 weeks
Is the Province of Iloilo ready for the construction of a P350 million Convention Center? Is the Provincial Government capable of balancing its delivery of basic services should it incur an added loan of P350 million? Is the deal with Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) regular and advantageous to the people? Will the arguments, eloquence and seeming charm of Capitol Financial Advisor David Buenavacz work on the 9th Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) the same way that it did with the 8th SP?
Such and more will finally be resolved with yesterday's conclusion of the public hearings called relative to the planned multi-million project.
Conducted by the SP body convening as a Committee of the Whole, Committee Chairman, Board Member Arthur Defensor Jr. (Third District) placed the estimate for the report to be ready in "two weeks time."
"I don't think I need another hearing," Defensor Jr. said in a The News Today (TNT) interview yesterday while adding that more than enough outputs were generated from previous hearings.
Yesterday gathered key players from Iloilo's hotel and tourism industry alongside government planners from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). Regional Director Edwin Trompeta of the Department of Tourism (DOT) also came with significant inputs as well as Trade and Industry Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena and accountants both in government and private practice.
The four-hour hearing saw an unsmiling Buenavacz at the last hours of the proceedings. Identifying himself as "Capitol's Financial Advisor," Buenavacz was grilled by the Board Members present who took turns in questioning the merits of his company's Feasibility Study on the P350 million project. (See related story)
Reached for comment, Buenavacz shrugged off the unsatisfactory remarks of the Board Members while saying that if the body wants a "four-inch thick" report, he can very well produce the same. He also expressed "surprise" on the barrage of complaints and questions on the project.
"It should have been brought up before," Buenavacz told TNT. "What is clear though is that Iloilo needs a Convention Center. And I do several kinds of Feasibility Studies. I guess what they (referring to the 9th SP) are used to are school feasibility studies."
Buenavacz with an associate, Bong Tandoc was at the receiving end of endless queries and adverse comments from both the Committee and other resource persons invited.
"I can't understand why Iloilo has no Convention Center," he told the Committee while clarifying that the questioned Convention Center site was "dictated to us."
"If you are going to be a pessimist, then you are barking at the wrong tree," Buenavacz said in the course of the hearing. "For me, I am an optimist."
He also pointed out how the private sector present -- hoteliers in particular -- have "vested interests" thus not as enthusiastic about the entire deal.
"Everything is finished -- the design, the blueprint- down to the last nail," he stressed.
Defensor Jr. expressed optimism that matters will be resolved without resorting to judicial review.
"We will only go to the Court once we have exhausted the administrative level," he explained.
Should the Committee agree to disagree on the project, the multi-million deal as per contract with the PVB will be rescinded and/or recalled. Buenavacz as the Capitol Financial Advisor will also not get his over P10 million consultancy fee.
"Our basic issue here is whether it is viable and advantageous to the Provincial Government," Defensor Jr. explained. "While there is a condition in the PVB contract, such cannot also curtail the powers of the SP."