[ Manila Bulletin Online ] June 13, 2008
By BONG REBLANDO
COTABATO CITY -- City Mayor Muslimin Sema said yesterday a firm in Davao City will bid to run the R56-million Cotabato City Mega Square Mall built through the funds of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and local funds.
The bidding, however, is offered to all interested business firms or individuals from Cebu, Manila and key cities in Mindanao seeking to invest in Cotabato City, Sema said.
This will be the third bidding of the newly-built city-owned commercial center at the heart of the city which is just a few meters away from the City Hall known as "People’s Palace." Two earlier biddings failed since no bidder was deemed qualified.
"We will have the third bidding next week. We hope that aside from the Davao City firm, there would be others from Cebu and Manila, either foreign or local, to join in the bidding," Sema said.
The city government provided a R6-million counterpart fund to the - million American grant at a time when the exchange rate was R50 to a US dollar before.
USAID has been providing funds to conflict-affected areas in Mindanao to stimulate economic growth, peace and development.
Construction of the mall was finished last August but the bidding was delayed since the City Council had enacted the Operational Manual of the Cotabato City Mega Square Mall only in January, this year.
The manual calls for the bidding of the commercial complex and the winner would run the business center by accepting tenants. The winning bidder pay rent the city government.
The latest landmark in the city, the square mall built on 15,000-square meters has 61 stalls, water system, drainage system, standby power, open space, parking space and a Mosque.
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