Unliquidated aid delays building renovation

Renovation of the city’s old Legislative building is nearly complete yet the financial assistance the city asked from the national government has not yet been released.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said that before the Philippine Tourism Authority would release the P15-million financial assistance, the city’s Parks and Playgrounds Commission has to liquidate the P250,000 it reportedly received from PTA in 1995.

Rama said he would be asking the city accounting office to issue an official certification that the city indeed received and used the money.

Rama said that early last month, Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo sent him a text message saying PTA can already release P10 million for the landscaping of the legislative building’s front grounds. However, Alburo informed him days later that the release has hit a bump owing to the unliquidated financial support.

The vice mayor has already started occupying his area in the newly renovated legislative building albeit the structure is still in its last stages of renovation. The renovation is aimed to be completed end of this month.

The city government has allocated P72.7 million for the renovation itself. On top of this, it has also set aside at least P5 million for the rent of office spaces where its occupants moved into since renovation started last year.

It rented the City Savings Bank Land, Inc. and Yutivo Corp. for the use of 1,266.4 square meters of building space and 23 condominium units and penthouse.

The city sought financial assistance from the national government, especially that the old legislative building is already considered a landmark of Cebu City. In fact, Rama said that the paint of the newly renovated building is similar to other old structures in the area like the Colegio del Sto. Niño across it.

The massive facelift of the once worn-out structure was intended to “preserve the grandeur and historical significance” of the building.

The Council conceived of the project in 2002 and solicited the help of the University of San Carlos-Institute of Planning and Design, which received P2.15 million from the city government as aid for drafting the plans and design.

The old City Hall legislative building was built in 1948 and finished in 1950. Considered a landmark, the City Council has described the legislative building to have “remained to date the City’s most symbolic seat of power.”

According to the layout, the City Council office will occupy the fourth floor, while the chapel will take up the third floor.

All councilors, including ex-officio members, will each have an office with separate cubicles for their staff members. There will be four committee rooms, aside from conference rooms.

There will also be a pre-session room aside from the session hall, where the gallery is positioned behind the councilors’ chairs. — Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV