Sec. Villar help sought

IF ALL else fails, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar will be asked to intercede in the Baguio Convention Center issue.

An exasperated Councilor Myleen Yaranon said a resolution asking the DPWH - Cordillera to follow the city approved plans for the convention center rehabilitation will be the last step they can do to make things right.

"DPWH should be the one to convince us on any changes, and why they cannot implement the bided plans," Yaranon said.

Yaranon added a letter to Villar will be sent

if the regional office will not heed the call made by the city officials in a bid to seek guidance and hope for compliance.

Yaranon stands firm with the entire City Council that plans made by the technical working group composed of city experts and stakeholders will be best for the convention center which the DPWH is convinced to be flawed.

"They have no reason not to (implement the plans), the mayor and councilors stand are the same. If they insist on the revised plan that the contractor prepared, then they should justify it with structural design computations, based on the report of CBAO," she said.

"If the city will not accept the work, contractor will not be paid. Maliit lang yun. Next move is to call the attention of Villar and go to national DPWH. If heads have to roll, so be it," Yaranon added if DPWH continues to defy calls made by the city.

In the past, DPWH regional director Tiborcio Canlas stood firm on plans made by the department for the rehabilitation saying the mezzanine floor pushed by the city cannot be accommodated as the convention center structure cannot support the planned addition of another floor likewise nixing the need for an elevator and escalator.

Canlas said the seating capacity of the convention center has been increased and will be able to accommodate at least 1300 with the DPWH plans.

The DPWH official likewise pointed to damage wrought by treasure hunter Eliseo Cabusao to the BCC and said no communication has been made by Cabusao since an initial meeting months ago, informing him of damage.

Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan has also asked to compare rehabilitation plans presented separately by the TWG and the DPWH.

Domogan said the DPWH must be able to justify the revisions made by their team as opposed to the approved plans made by the nine-member TWG created by the City Government, if plans of the TWG are proven to be indeed flawed and not feasible, the City Government will use the revised plans of DPWH as guide in the rehabilitation of the BCC.

The mayor is asking for a dialog between city officials and the DPWH which has yet to be granted.