BAGUIO CITY – Technical personnel of the local government and the Cordillera office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-CAR) will meet on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 to discuss the details of the remaining works on the ongoing rehabilitation of the city-owned Baguio Convention Center (BCC) and how to go about the completion of the project to improve the condition of the city’s premier convention facility.
The decision for both parties to have a coordination meeting was reached during an emergency meeting called by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan to settle the differences between the involved parties in completing the remaining works in the facility so that the public can start using the 40-year old property.
“We do not want to have a convention center that will remain just as what it is today because it will affect the city’s hosting of major events in the coming months considering that it is the only premier gathering place located at the heart of the city,” Domogan stressed.
He agreed to the talking points agreed upon by the technical people of the local government and the DPWH-CAR on the remaining works that should be undertaken and the materials to be used for the eventual completion of the project which has a total appropriation of P180 million from the national government.
Domogan urged the DPWH-CAR officials and technical personnel to continue dialoguing with their counterparts in the local government to address all emerging issues related to the implementation of the project for the greater interest of the people of the city, thus, the rescission of the contract should be out of the picture so as not to render the project a waste of public funds.
Among the remaining works to be ironed out by both parties include the materials that will be used for the flooring of the main convention hall, the connection of the upper bleachers to form a U-shape to increase the capacity of the main convention hall, the provision of the elevator, and the backfilling of the holes dug up by the treasure hunter that previously conducted treasure-hunting activities in the area prior to the implementation of the multi-million project.
Domogan supported the proposal of Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon for the DPWH-CAR technical personnel to ensure acoustic engineers from the Bureau of Designs will make the recommendations on the materials for the flooring of the main convention hall to prevent the possible echoing of the sound.
He asserted there is no reason for the city government to delay the implementation of the project because the city needs the convention center for various local, regional, national and international activities being hosted and co-hosted by the different government agencies.
Supposedly, the rehabilitation of the convention center was to be completed last February but because of the partial suspension of some major works, the project is still underway.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo by Armando M. Bolislis
