Talisay investment plan includes funds for P350M market

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes yesterday said the priority development projects outlined in the city's proposed P731.6 million Annual Investment Plan for 2015 already included the loan intended for the construction of the Tabunok Public Market.

"Anytime, city budget officer Edgar Mabunay can include the construction of the market in the supplemental budget since the construction of the new market is already included in the 2015 Annual Investment Plan," John Yre de los Reyes said.

The city council recently granted Mayor De los Reyes authority to negotiate a loan for the construction of new Tabunok Public Market but only if he complies with the legislative department's requirements and a feasibility study on the project's viability in all aspects is submitted.

In last Tuesday's council session, the mayor's consultant Pastor Paypa failed to present the feasibility study to the members of the council, which prompted Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Romeo Villarante to defer the approval of the loan agreement.

The cost of the market's construction is P350 million.

In the eight-page report, the council committee as a whole unanimously agreed that a third party and independent consultant should be hired to conduct a feasibility study considering that no architectural design has yet been submitted for the council to consider.

Council members noted that it would be best that the design must match satisfactorily the basis for the amount loaned.

The committee as a whole also pointed out that detailed engineering shall proceed only on the basis of the feasibility or preliminary engineering study made, which establishes the technical viability of the project and conformance to land use and zoning guidelines prescribed by existing laws.

But John Yre believed that the deferment of the rise of the new market has been caused by tactics "from those terrified people and traditional politicians with personal interests to ruin the administration of Mayor JVR."

"Why can't the council authorize our chief executive to enter a loan contract when there are already interested banks to finance the construction?" John Yre said, pointing out that financial institutions will not risk if there's no comprehensive feasibility study regarding the undertaking.

"Whoever has the technicalities as to the feasibility of the market, I am certain it is not the legislative department," John Yre added. — Garry Lao (FREEMAN)