THERE is a proposed land reclamation project in my beloved city of Tagbilaran and like a true communicator, I want to listen to what the city government has to say about it. It’s officially called the Tagbilaran City Waterfront Development Project, but the name is too high-end for the regular folks, so let’s bring it down to brass tacks by using layman’s language. Let’s call it the Tagbilaran City land reclamation project.
There was a lot of buzz about the project over the past couple of weeks, and if you are a wise leader, you will not allow for the noise to grow angrier until it explodes in your face.
So finally, Monday morning, I joined the Public Consultation on the Unsolicited Proposal for the Tagbilaran City Waterfront Development Project with the following big businesses as Project Proponent: Cebu Landmasters, Inc., Ulticon Builders, Inc., Adnama Mining Services, Inc., Lite Properties Corporation, and Lite Shipping Corporation. It is paramount that we know who we are dealing with because we have learned our bitter lessons from the felled Taloto Acacia trees.
The presiding officer, the chairperson of the committee on city planning and public lands, presented what the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has done since March 31, 2021, when then local chief executive (LCE) John Geesnell L. Yap II received the Unsolicited Proposal, the intervening years, until this Monday’s (November 20, 2023) public consultation. That’s a span of two years and eight months.
Let’s begin.
Based on “Committee Report No. 189, Series of 2022,” dated October 13, 2022, of the 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tagbilaran “Re Proposed Resolution No. 232-22 – Confirming the Original Proponent Status Conferred to Waterfront Development Corporation for the Development and Reclamation of Specific Portions of the Municipal Waters of the City of Tagbilaran . . .”
“Findings: No. 2. On July 27, 2018, the Fourteenth Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Tagbilaran enacted Ordinance No. C-267 entitled AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE CITY PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP CODE in accordance with DILG memorandum circular No. 2016-120;
No. 3. The Honorable Mayor John Geesnell L. Yap II conferred an Original Proponent Status on September 13, 2021 to the Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation;
No. 4. The change of administration after the 2022 national elections, there is a need to confirm the earlier conferment of the Original Proponent Status to Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation to confirm and recognize its status under the present new administration.
RECOMMENTATIONS: The committee hereby recommends the passage and approval of the proposed Resolution No. 232-22 – CONFIRMING THE ORIGINAL PROPONENT STATUS CONFERRED TO TAGBILARAN WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE TAGBILARAN CITY WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.”
The committee report was signed by Councilors Nerio D. Zamora II, Chairperson; Nicanor S. Besas, Member; Charles T. Cabalit, Member; Unsigned: Odysseus C. Glovasa, Vice Chairperson; Gemma M. Inting, Member.
Moving forward.
In “Committee Report No. 198, Series of 2023,” dated September 8, 2023, the Committee acted on the “Letter from the Office of the Honorable City Mayor Jane Censoria C. Yap dated July 14, 2023 addressed to the Honorable Members of the Fifteenth Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Tagbilaran through the Honorable Atty. Adam Relson L. Jala, City Vice Mayor and SP Presiding Officer, respectfully requesting for the passage of a resolution authorizing the City Mayor to commence the solicitation of comparative proposals for the conduct of the Competitive Challenge of the Unsolicited Proposal of the proposed waterfront development project of Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation for due consideration and appropriate action.
Findings: No. 1. On March 31, 2021, the City received an unsolicited proposal by the Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation (TCWDC) for the Tagbilaran City Waterfront Development Project, with a projected assumed cost of the three major components of the project which are the pre-investment cost, cost of reclamation and cost of infrastructure at an estimated project cost of around Twelve Billion Pesos (12,000,000,000.00) involving a total of 153.029 hectares of waterfront development along the coastal areas of Barangay Mansasa, Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Cogon, Booy and Taloto, divided into three waterfront development areas as follows:”
* Waterfront Dev. Area 1 (89.968 hectares) – foreshore of Barangay Booy and portion Barangay Taloto
* Waterfront Dev. Area 2 (11.677 hectares) — Foreshore of Barangay Poblacion II
* Waterfront Dev. Area 3 (51.384 hectares) — Foreshore of Barangay Mansasa and Poblacion I
“No. 5: On July 12, 2023, the JV TWC passed JV TWC Resolution No. 1 Series of 2023 entitled Resolution Recommending the Approval by the City Mayor of Tagbilaran City the Terms of Negotiations on the Unsolicited Proposal of the Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation (TWDC) Entitled as The Tagbilaran City Waterfront Development Project and Thereafter Recommending for the Commencement of the Processes and Activities for the Solicitation of Comparative Proposals for the Conduct of Competitive Challenge Pursuant to the Amended BOT Law of Republic Act No. 7718 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations as Well as by the Tagbilaran City Ordinance No. C-267-A as Amended with the following agreed terms…”
“RECOMMENDATIONS: The committee humble (y) recommends that a public consultation be held first before the final deliberation be made as to the granting of authority of the Honorable Mayor to commence the solicitation of comparative proposals for the conduct of the Comparative Challenge of the Unsolicited Proposal of the proposed waterfront development project of Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation pursuant to Ordinance No. C-267.”
This time the Committee Report is signed by the chairperson, vice chairperson, and three committee members.
Query for the City Mayor and the City Vice Mayor of Tagbilaran. What is the meaning of “… the JV TWC passed JV TWC. . .” found in Findings: No. 5, Resolution No. 198, Series of 2023, dated September 8, 2023? What does “JV” stand for? Does it stand for “Joint Venture?” Have you already formed your “Joint Venture” sans the knowledge of Tagbilaranons?
Timeline. The Unsolicited Proposal was received on March 31, 2021. The first time the public was consulted was this week, November 20, 2023. In the intervening months, several developments had happened as indicated in the committee reports.
Public Consultation. In the discussion on Monday, the presiding officer and the project proponent tried to explain that according to Ordinance No. C-267 entitled An Ordinance Establishing the City Public-Private Partnership Code, a public hearing is not required but reportedly, to paraphrase, since the city mayor wants to listen to the voice of the constituents, the public consultation was called.
How ironic. Even if Ordinance No. C-267 does not require a public consultation, isn’t it incumbent upon you, leaders of this city, to commit to the principle of transparency in governance by consulting the constituents about a massive project you are contemplating via a public consultation? The governed are now reduced to a mere technicality. That’s how you perceive the level of comprehension of the Tagbilaranons?
The SP and LCE won’t consult the Tagbilaranons with an Unsolicited Proposal in the last two years and eight months because an ordinance does not require it anyway, but now that the city leadership is going to subject it to a comparative challenge, they must consult the people! How convenient.
Transparency. If you really commit to transparency in governance, you could have called a series of public consultations immediately upon receipt of the unsolicited proposal, even before conducting all the activities indicated in the Committee Reports.
Comparative Challenge. What happens if there is one and only competitor? Will you declare the whole process a failure?
Appropriate Scientific Study. When asked if an appropriate scientific study was undertaken, the answer was simply, “. . . the proponent did the study.” Why are we shoving the project down the throat of the proponent? Are we really that desperate?
Let’s not muddle the issue with politics. You are proposing a massive land reclamation project in Tagbilaran City—153.029 hectares–without coming up with your own parallel study, and yet you had the audacity to call it politics?
Finally, face the facts. You missed on several points, primarily by not consulting the people early. You didn’t have an appropriate scientific study against which you could have measured the proponent’s own study. And most importantly, you did not come prepared to parry the anger of your constituents who felt robbed of the opportunity to be heard on a matter of grave concern affecting them all.
Indeed, the bubble has burst.
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City every Saturday, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. She can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
