SP: Bing may sign Bredco deal

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BY MAE SINGUAY

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February 16, 2018
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BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) authorized Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia to sign a proposed agreement allowing the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) to operate and manage part of a port for 25 more years.

The proposed deal stems from an option granted to Bredco under Paragraph 5, Title IX of the 1995 Comprehensive Revised Reclamation Agreement (CRRA) to operate and manage part of the port for another 25 years when the original 25-year period expires.

Ten city councilors voted on Feb. 14 to approve Leonardia’s request for authority to sign: Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, Cindy Rojas, Bartolome Orola, Elmer Sy, Dindo Ramos, Ana Marie Palermo, Sonya Verdeflor, Noli Villarosa, and Wilson Gamboa Jr.
Claudio Jesus Puentevella and Ricardo Tan dissented. It was not yet time, they said, and they needed more time to read the 1995 CRRA. Renecito Novero abstained, citing his affiliation with Bredco as one of its legal counsels.

On Feb. 7 the SP approved the Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government’s recommendation to uphold Bredco’s option.

On Feb. 5, during a public hearing, Bredco agreed with the proposal of Distrito, the committee chairman, that the company pay the city government P6 million annually – subject to 25-percent increase every five years for 25 years – under a new contract.

Bredco must also pay the city the “unrealized” P8-million compensation under the 1995 CRRA.

When the CRRA was made on March 16, 1995, Bredco was required to pay the city P800,000 annually for 25 years. The 1995 agreement will expire in March 2020.

Meanwhile, businessman Vladimir Gonzalez asked that what he called Bredco’s “application for renewal” of its 25-year port lease be opened to public discussion and that the lease be subject to “open and competitive bidding.”
City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan said the city government cannot entertain Gonzales’ request.

There is no “renewal of the contract.” Bredco was just exercising an option provided to it under the 1995 CRRA, Bayatan stressed./PN
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