Resolving the CICC problem

It pays to have leaders sharing a common party affiliation in order to get things moving for their cities and provinces.

This is the case between Mandaue City and Cebu province, whose leaders have decided to work out an arrangement involving the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Outgoing Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and incoming Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing have agreed along with Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna to pursue anew the city’s purchase of the CICC from the province.

Mandaue City is in a good financial position to acquire the CICC as Fortuna said they need only six months to earn enough to buy the property out of their own coffers.

The likelihood of that happening may be strong owing to the change in administration on the national level which would make acquiring bank loans for LGUs a lot more difficult to navigate and process.

During a previous visit by outgoing President Benigno Aquino III, a proposal to convert the CICC into an exhibition center for local products was floated and the President was receptive to it.

That said, allowing the government to handle the CICC renovation and development will take a lot of time, which the province and the Mandaue City government don’t have especially in light of the presence of the displaced fire victims of two Mandaue City barangays.

Any major redevelopment of the CICC would involve the relocation of these families and based on the presence of stores and other semipermanent structures, Mayor-elect Quisumbing will have his hands full trying to convince the settlers to move out.

In this regard, the CICC mission for Mandaue City Hall will be threefold: first, convincing the province to sell the property to them; second, to relocate the settlers to a suitable relocation site; and three, pursuing the renovation and development of the structure and surrounding area.

Again this is where common party affiliations pay off. Being both aligned with the Liberal Party (LP) for now at least, both Cortes, Quisumbing and Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III may have better, friendlier negotiations concerning the CICC building and lot than if they belonged to opposing parties.

At least in theory it is assumed that they can have an easier time working things out between the city and province. At least for Davide, it means one less problem to deal with.

Ever since it was severely damaged by the 2013 earthquake, the CICC has become an eyesore to Mandaue City and it is understandable why city officials want to do something about it.

Hopefully, there will be a mutually acceptable arrangement between Mandaue City, the province and the settlers that will benefit them all.