City to pursue PPP process for market dev’t

BAGUIO CITY  –  (5 March 2021) – The city’s Public Private Partnership for the People – Selection Committee (P4-SC) will continue to pursue the prescribed processes in the determination of the company that will implement the proposed development of the public market amidst the various issues and concerns raised by leaders of different associations in the facility against the award of the project to a private company.

City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña informed leaders of the different associations of market vendors that the preparation of the final terms of reference is just part of the 19-step process enshrined under the city’s P4 ordinance in the determination of the company that is competent to pursue the proposed development of the public market which has been long overdue.

He said that the 34 terms of reference that will be subject to negotiations with the SM Prime Holdings, Inc., which was earlier awarded by the city as the holder of the Original Proponent Status (OPS), was crafted after the conduct of numerous consultations with concerned stakeholders and experts that contributed their inputs for the final terms of the market development project.

The city administrator admitted during Thursday’s consultations with the leaders of the different associations of market vendors that the ongoing process is already delayed but there is still a need to pursue the same as the market really needs to be developed to improve its current state.

Leaders of the different associations of market vendors brought to the attention of city officials their support to the proposed development of the city public market but the aforesaid project should be given to developers and instead allow the local developers, including the consortium of market cooperatives, to be the ones to implement the project even on a staggered basis.

According to him, the proposal of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. based on the agreed final terms of reference will still be subjected to the Swiss Challenge where interested developers, including the consortium of market cooperatives, will be given a chance to make their offers that will be superior to the earlier proposal for the said companies to be awarded the project.

The local government department head stipulated that the city will consider the issues and concerns that were raised by the leaders of the market groups and for the same to be addressed by both executive and legislative actions that will be undertaken in the coming month.

He disclosed that the negotiation period for the final terms of reference of the multi-billion market development project will be at least 45 days pursuant to the ordinance but the same will depend on how the negotiation teams will be able to advance in the deliberation of the 34 terms that had been crafted for the said purpose.

Under the original timetable that was set by the P4-SC, the conduct of the Swiss Challenge was scheduled on April 16, 2021 but the same can be adjusted to a later date depending on the pace of the negotiations that will commence after Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong shall have signed the 34 terms that will be used in the negotiations. – Dexter A. See