[ Manila Bulletin Online ] January 15, 2009
By DEXTER A. SEE
Ruling on case a breakthrough, firm’s lawyer says
BAGUIO CITY — The contracted developer of the city’s dilapidated public market said it is going to implement the P1.7-billion project even though it has been greatly affected by the escalation of prices of construction materials.
This was announced by the legal officer of the Uniwide Sales and Realty Corp. who commented that the recent rejection by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of the motions for reconsideration of a decision on the issue is a breakthrough in the implementation of the project.
It is also a vindication on the part of the developer which was repeatedly accused of bribing city officials in exchange for the contract to undertake the market project.
Lawyer Ceasar Oracion, legal counsel of Uniwide, said the company is aware of the plans of the city government to spend for the partial rehabilitation of the market because it had been informed earlier of the plan.
However, he said, Uniwide is still interested in pursuing the project to show to the people of the city that its contract for construction of the world-class market had gone through regular procedures.
Uniwide was the lone bidder in the public bidding conducted in 1996 for the development of the city’s public market. It submitted a P1.7-billion bid for the construction of the seven-storey structure. The P1.7-billion bid was based on costs prevailing in 1996.
The development of the public market is authorized by Ordinance No. 38, series of 1995, which prescribes the rules and regulations governing the project.
But several groups of market vendors questioned the plan of Uniwide, claiming that the ordinance prescribing the development guidelines is unconstitutional and that the bidding is invalid.
In July last year, the RTC upheld the constitutionality of the ordinance and the validity of the market development contract and allowed the company to pursue the project.
Recently, the RTC also denied the motions for reconsideration of the decision submitted by the protesting vendors for lack of merit.
While awaiting the finality of the decision, the city government has allotted at least R25 million from the city budget this year for the initial development of the market, which includes the rehabilitation of the Rillera building and Blocks 3 and 4 of the market area.
The proposed market development to be undertaken by the city government is not as extensive as that of the Uniwide plan, but the concerned City Hall department is now preparing the blueprint for the improvement.
If the Uniwide plan is pushed through, the company would operate the public market for 30 years. The first and second floors would be owned and operated by the city government.
