Friday, April 24, 2009 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
By Lydia C. Pendon
AFTER years of waiting, the Iloilo City Government finally decided to put up a seven-storey City Hall building at the Plaza Libertad in the city, which is expected to rise in the next two years.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas met with architects and other concerned offices of the City Government Thursday where they discussed the new plan that was prepared by the Coscolluela and Associates, the firm that was tapped by the City Government to prepare for the architectural design of the proposed structure.
The mayor said the new design was finally able to fit into the P450-million budget of the city.
The remaining issue that should be resolved is the sewerage treatment plant (STP), which is not included in the plan.
"I have given the city engineer's office until Wednesday next week to review and come up with recommendations. We require other buildings to have an STP, so I think it will be but fair that the city will have an STP," he said.
The new plan has maintained the earlier proposal of seven stories, but there will be no function room. The function room will just be added if there are funds in the future.
Items such as air-conditioning units, closed-circuit television (CCTV), and other office equipment and furniture were deleted in the new plan.
The total area of the structure is 1.4 hectares complete with a parking space.
Meantime, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) is just waiting for the approved plan for the additional loan of P100 million, according to Treñas.
The first loan worth P350 million was already approved last year.
"It will be withdrawn once the project is bidded out," he said.
Treñas is looking forward to have the approved plan in the next 10 days and bid the project out before the third quarter of 2009.
The proposed project incurred some delays after prices of construction materials shoot up, forcing the City Government to make some amendments in the plan.
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