Cortes wants products exhibit area, intermodal terminal at CICC grounds

Mandaue City mayor-elect Jonas Cortes said that he will push with his earlier promise to set up a products exhibit area and intermodal transport terminal at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) grounds. /CDN File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Expect some changes on the use of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Mandue City mayor-elect Jonas Cortes said that he wanted to push through with his earlier plan to set aside a portion of the 3.2-hectare property for use as an exhibit area by the Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).

Cortes said that he also wanted an intermodal traffic terminal and a mass transit system on the city-owned property.

“Nakasaad ko kani adto sa Mandaue Chamber nga tagaan nato ug luna for exhibits to promote tanang produkto diri sa dakbayan sa Mandaue… Usa sa atong tuyo sa CICC aside sa katong exhibit center nga dunay terminal sa intermodal traffic, mass transit system,” he said in a recent interview.

(I already made a promise to the Mandaue Chamber to give them an area for exhibits to help promote all of the products that we produce in Mandaue City… One of our main considerations for having the CICC, aside from setting up an exhibit center, is also have an intermodal traffic terminal, mass transit system.”

All these will be done with the help of private sector partners, Cortes said.

“Again, we will look for partners kung kinsa ang interesado. Expect more PPP under our administration. Ato paningkamutan that we could do more with less, with public private partnership,” he said.

(Again, we will look for interested partners. Expect more PPP (Public-Private Partnership) under our administration. We will try our best to do more with less expense, with Public-Private Partnership.)

Outgoing Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing said in an earlier interview that he wanted the CICC,  which was badly damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda and the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu in 2013, converted into an entertainment complex and convention center.

The Quisumbing administration paid P300 million to the Cebu Provincial Government for the purchase of the structure since the city already owns the lot where the structure stands.

But Cortes said that he has other plans for the area.

Meanwhile, Cortes said that he will also order a review of the status of fire victims from Barangays Mantuyong and Guizo who continue to occupy a portion of the CICC grounds, more than three years since the inferno burned their homes.

“Definitely ato paningkamutan nga ma relocate nato ni sila because they have been suffering for so many years. I think three years na, more than 3 years,” he said.

Cortes said he also wanted checked what has happened to the 9.2 hectare relocation site in Barangay Paknaan which he earlier promised to the Mantuyong and Guizo fire victims.

“Kani akong ikapasalig nga paningkamutan gyud nato nga ang tanan nga nahibilin diha matagaan gyud nato ug relocation,” he added.

(I will guarantee all those who continue to occupy the area (CICC grounds) that we will be giving them proper relocation.)