ILOILO City – The proposal of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. to redevelop the Iloilo Central Market is viable and beneficial to this southern city and its people.
This was the assessment of Atty. Quintin Magsico Jr., vice chairman of the Iloilo City Public Private Partnership (PPP) – Selection Committee which spearheads the detailed negotiation with SM Prime for the proposed redevelopment of the central market.
He cited various PPP projects undertaken by SM Prime in Clark City, Pampanga; Olongapo City, Zambales and in Taguig City.
The committee visited these development projects as part of their verification and validation process anent the detailed negotiations under the Iloilo PPP Ordinance, said Magsico.
“We have verified the capability of SM Prime to comply with contractual obligations with other local government units…We also verified whether SM was able to develop the areas in accordance with their contracts,” said Magsico.
In all these projects, it has been observed that the developments are not only concentrated in a particular area but also inspired peripheral areas to develop and catch up with the ongoing progress.
On the part of Iloilo City, Magsico said the purpose of the city government is not only to improve the central market as well as the Iloilo Terminal Market, but also to spur the development in peripheral areas.
“The private sector will surely catch. As we have always noticed, if there is development in one area, other businesses will also invest to catch up with the development,” said Magsico.
This further creates job opportunities and more new businesses in the area, he added.
In Clark, Pampanga, for instance, SM Prime transformed an unproductive open space into a commercial development in partnership with Clark Development Corporation.
They also integrated in the development the movement of people by aligning the same with the transportation and education sectors.
“It is a total development not of the area up for leasing but also development of other areas in the peripheries of the mall,” said Magsico.
In Olongapo City, SM Prime constructed a school in another site. Also, a Convention Center and sports facilities within the mall and this is shared by the local government unit, private organization and SM.
The same also with Taguig City, apart from a mall (SM City Aura), SM Prime built spaces to accommodate city offices and national government agencies which serve as one-stop shops for government transactions.
Magsico further noted that the property developer did not only develop the areas but also introduced green technology. They are integrating transportation, schools, among others with the projects.
“Tungod nga gin-integrate ni SM ang transportation, conventions center, schools, hotels and even call centers, businesses benefit from the foot traffic,” Magsico said.
Iloilo City is projecting the same kind of developments in the redevelopment of the Iloilo Central Market and Iloilo Terminal Market, he added.
For the central market, as observed in other SM Prime development projects, Magsico noted there must be proper zoning of market stalls for the comfort of the shoppers.
“Once the central market is developed, it will surely revive and improve economic activities in the peripheral areas of the market,” said Magsico.
“Other businesses nearby surely mabuhi gid,” Magsico further stressed.
On the other hand, Mayor Jerry Treñas stressed that the city’s main concern is the legitimate vendors, that all of them can go back to their business after the completion of the project.
“Ang aton ya concern is for the vendors to go back to the market in whatever form it is para nga makanegosyo sila. Para sa akon, derecho gid na sang mga vendors naton nga makabalik sila,” said Treñas.
The city mayor also stressed that a clean and modern area for the market vendors’ livelihood will give more value to their businesses.
Meantime, Treñas noted that another reason to hasten the market development is the dilapidated areas of the central market.
“Nag-report naman sa akon ang LEEO (Local Economic Enterprise Office) may nagataktak naman to part sang central market and I am very concerned. I do not want our vendors to be affected so much,” he added./PN
