THE Cebu Provincial Board passed a resolution allowing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to sign an agreement allowing the Mandaue City Government to demolish the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), which was purchased by the city from the province.
During their regular session on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, Board Member John Ismael Borgonia presented the resolution “Authorizing honorable Gwendolyn F. Garcia, Governor of Cebu, to sign for and on behalf of the Province of Cebu the Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Mandaue allowing the latter to demolish the CICC and build its City Hall and Government Center in the area pending resolution from the COA of the request for the review of sale of the CICC to Mandaue City.”
On August 22, 2017, the Provincial Board authorized former Governor Hilario Davide III to enter into a “mutual termination” of the joint venture agreement and contract to sell the CICC.
The agreement stipulates the sale of CICC to the City of Mandaue for P300 million.
It also stipulates that the ownership of the property will not be transferred to the city until the entire amount is fully paid.
After making the payment on October 2, 2018, the ownership of CICC was given to the city.
But the COA noticed the defects in the sale of the building as it was sold at the lowest price compared to the original estimate of P840 million.
COA also emphasized that the sale of CICC failed to go through the bidding process and did not have their approval.
The provincial government sent a letter to the COA on April 4, 2022 to settle the defects but has not yet received a response from them.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes announced on April 2022 that a government center with a one-stop shop concept will be built in the area, giving the transacting public access to all the city offices and departments in one building.
While the old city hall located in Barangay Centro will be turned into a cultural heritage park with a museum and library and it will be called Mandaue Presidency.
In 2007, the CICC was established to serve as the venue for the 12th Asean Summit and 2nd East Asia Summit.
But it was abandoned in 2013, after suffering damage from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda.(ANV, TPT)
