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BY MAE SINGUAY
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February 8, 2018
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2 city dads say approving Bredco extension bid ‘too early’
BACOLOD City – The city council approved yesterday the committee on laws, ordinances and good government’s report and recommendation extending the port operation and management of the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) in the city-owned 5-hectare lot.
It was agreed during a Feb. 5 public hearing that Bredco will be paying the city government an annual compensation worth P6 million, which will be subjected to a 25-percent increase every after five years for 25 years under a new contract.
The hearing was held in relation to Bredco’s right to extend its port operation and management stated under Paragraph 5, Title 9 of the 1995 Comprehensive Revised Reclamation Agreement (CRRA).
On March 16, 1995, Bredco and the city government entered into the CRRA, which has been requiring the former to compensate the latter with P800,000 annually for 25 years.
Former Bredco president SimplicioPalanca has earlier expressed Bredco’s interest to extend its port operation.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the committee on laws, ordinances and good government, proposed the P6-million annual compensation to Bredco president John Alonte during the hearing.
Alonte is Palanca’s nephew.
Nine councilors voted “yes” for the recommendation. They were Distrito, EmAng, Cindy Rojas, Elmer Sy, NoliVillarosa, Ana Marie Palermo, Sonya Verdeflor, Dindo Ramos, and BartolomeOrola.
Councilors Claudio Jesus Puentevella and Ricardo Tan abstained while Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. was out of the session hall.
Puentevella and Tan questioned the “timeliness” to act on the recommendation. They said approving the recommendation is “too early.”
The 1995 CRRA will expire on March 2020.
Councilor RenecitoNovero, on the other hand, inhibited from voting because of his “professional relationship” with Bredco.
Novero is Bredco’s legal counsel.
Distrito stated in his committee report that Bredco will only be allowed to extend its port operation if it will give the city government an annual compensation of “not less than P6 million.”
This means that the mayor may request a higher amount from Bredco, Distrito said.
Under the report, Bredco must also pay the city government the unrealized P8-million compensation under the 1995 CRRA.
Bredco previously offered the city government an annual compensation worth P3.8 million under a new contract.
Mayor EvelioLeonardia created a technical working group tasked to study Bredco’s bid to extend its port operation.
The technical group furnished a report suggesting the city government to demand P5.2-million yearly compensation from Bredco.
According to Distrito, his committee is not rushing to act on Bredco’s extension bid.
Bredco plans to make the port, one of the gateways to Bacolod City, “world-class.”/PN
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