HK investors not pursuing mall plan

CEBU, Philippines - For still undisclosed reasons, Hong Kong investors have withdrawn their proposal to put up a four-story mall at lot 913 in Sitio Warwick-Barracks, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City.

 Cebu Business Center Executive Director Aniceto Canturias said the investors earlier expressed intent in leasing the Warwick-Barracks and Freedom Park estates so they could develop a class D type of mall similar to Divisoria and Baclaran.

 The investors were supposed to present their investment plan and business credentials last April 4; however, they did not show up.

 In a text message, Canturias said retired army personnel James Bernal, who provides security for the investors’ businesses in Manila, informed him about his clients’ “disagreement of further investing (in Cebu).” The reason for the decision of the investors to back out though has yet to be determined.

 Canturias said the project would supposedly “provide us the opportunity to explore investment features and benefits that are advantageous to the city and its people.”

 The Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan-dominated council earlier lashed out Canturias when they found out that CBC was not “constituted formally” by the council.

 Canturias was reportedly a political adviser of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama during the 2013 elections.

“When you send a letter to the Sanggunian, it is an impression to us that you are representing the city without clothing yourself with necessary and sufficient authority coming from the council,” said Councilor Gerardo Carillo, a lawyer.

 But Canturias clarified that “he made no negotiation” for and on behalf of the City of Cebu.

 He added that CBC’s Local Enterprise and Investment Management Board was created through an Executive Order No. 13-4 dated March 2013, which mandates for the body “to formulate policies, to develop our local economic enterprises seen to profitable money-making, self-sustaining enterprises,” such as the Fort San Pedro, Carbon market, city abattoir and City Resource Management and Development Center.

 “In line with the creation of the body the city mayor formed the CBC, executive arm, to carry out important functions in furtherance of such policies that would be formulated by CLEIMB,” Canturias said.

 The CBC is headed by the city mayor with the members of the board including the city treasurer, city accountant, city attorney, and heads of the city abattoir, carbon market, Cebu City Medical Center and City Traffic Operations Management.

 City Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of the committee on housing, lamented that the fire victims were not allowed to reconstruct new houses allegedly due to the said mall construction proposal.

 “These vendors were displaced and not allowed to rebuild sa mga tindahan. Gibutang sa North Reclamation Area ug walay tarong nga relocation sites,” Dizon said.

 Canturias said several meetings were conducted, wherein the CBC heard the grievances of the fire victims as part of their “social preparation project.”

But Dizon disagreed, saying “I’ve been in consultation with these vendors. Sige og reklamo kay di paminawon. They tried to set a dialogue with the mayor but no to avail.”

 “Local government must put special attention in supporting these poor vendors. The poor must be first in the line when there is an expansion of an economic activity. Kun naay local development plan ang city, ang pirmi maligsan ang mga pobre,” he said.

 Meanwhile, the CCMC has been dropped from the city’s list of enterprises according to Canturias because “it failed to live up to the guidelines of the practicability that was imposed by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management.”  (FREEMAN)