Hottick begs off from NSC evaluation body

Representatives of Hottick Investment Limited (HIL) have begged off from joining the National Steel Corp. (NSC) Evaluation Committee in choosing a firm to operate the mothballed NSC plant in Iligan City.

Hottick representatives Ibrahim Bidin and Emiliano Napa are supposed to be reinstated in the NSC evaluation committee which is supposed to be reconstituted today (Oct. 19).

But, Bidin had begged off, while Napa indicated that he would not go without Bidin.

Hottick had formally pulled out of the Committee as it was protesting the refusal of the government to accept the lease proposal of Allengoal Steel for NSC.

Thus, the Evaluation Committee’s reconstitution would have to be rescheduled on Oct. 23, the deadline for the submission of bids to operate the NSC plant.

Bidin and Napa have not indicated if they still will not be available on that date, but the NSC liquidator is reportedly hopefully that they would attend the Oct. 23 reconstitution and opening of the sealed bids.

If the Evaluation Committee is not reconstituted, the opening of the bids will not push through since the Committee is a consensus among all the parties concerned in rehabilitating the closed steel firm. Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II welcomed the reconstitution of the NSC Evaluation Committee saying that it would "bring fully back on track the government’s transparent and objective process that, we hope, will lead to the reopening and viable operations of the NSC Iligan mill."

Roxas also expressed optimism that the "voluntary participation of all the interested parties, including the Malaysians and the creditor banks, the acceptance, opening and evaluation of lease proposals from interested investors can be undertaken without any further delay."