Aquino to inaugurate Iloilo Convention Center in September

ILOILO CITY – The controversial Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) will be finished on time. This assurance was given by Engineer Edilberto Tayao, Regional Director of the Department of Public Works and Highways in WesternVisayas (DPWH-6), amid preparations made by the city which will host three Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015 meetings here in September and October.

“I am confident that all civil works will be done,” Tayao said despite certain areas in the ICC yet to be completely finished, such as the parking lot and other components within the convention center. The ICC is being built on a lot donated by Megaworld Corp. in the latter’s Iloilo Business Park complex here.

Aside from the APEC meetings, the ICC needs to be ready for its scheduled September 14 inauguration which will be led by President Aquino.

Tayao noted that the construction of the parking lot is part of ICC’s 28.8million site development. That particular aspect of the convention center was bid out only last Monday, August 24.

Hilmarc’s Construction Corp., which was also the contractor for the two-phase construction of the ICC, will also undertake the convention center’s 28-million site development.

Tayao expects Hilmarc’s to conduct “full blast” work in finishing the parking lot, fences and guard houses.

He pointed out that once all civil works will be finished, DPWH-6 will turn the ICC over to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), an attached agency of Department of Tourism (DOT).

Tayao said TIEZA will be responsible for installing furniture and other amenities in the ICC.

Completion of the convention center faced delays, especially on the 700-million first phase of the construction.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, a native of Iloilo, was accused of graft and plunder charges along with Department of Public Works and Highways Secrearyd Rogelio Singson and Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, among others. The charges were alleged by a former employee of Drilon’s. The Ombudsman has since thrown away such charges, stating that the accuser had based his charges on, among others, speculations of overpricing made by rumors around Iloilo and data from online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Meanwhile, Drilon has confirmed that the President will, indeed, be present in the inauguration of the ICC on September 14.