SRP consultants asked to join council session

The Cebu City council said since the staff of the South Reclamation Project consultancy firm are paid "handsomely", they should appear during an executive session with representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways-7 Project Management Office on September 14 and give an update on the titling process of the SRP.

The city council first invited representatives of Katahira and Engineers Int'l. and SRP manager Nigel Paul Villarete to appear during its regular session last August 3 and update them on the titling process of the 295-hectare property.

But only Villarete showed up and apprised the council of the titling status during last week's regular session.

In a letter sent to the council last Wednesday, Katahira administrative officer Samuel Tadang said that nobody from their firm could attend the session as they were busy with paperwork in relation to the processing of SRP titles in Manila.

This did not sit well with the members of the council.

Councilor Gabriel Leyson said he cannot believe none among the seven local key staff, eight technical support staff and four administrative support staff of Katahira had no time for the session.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama, the presiding officer of the city council, said the SRP consultants should pay the city council at least "courtesy presence" considering that the city is paying them a "handsome amount."

Councilor Gerardo Carillo then read to the council the city's billing statement to Katahira, furnished by city accountant Edna Jaca.

It showed that the least contract price from among the Katahira staff amounts to P60,000, that is for the utility/messenger. Other staff are receiving between P90,000 to P275,000, which is the highest contract price for their team leader S. Tiannok.

The city government contracted Katahira last October at P3.4 million to provide technical services to the city government for the documentation, processing and related management activities, which encompasses the titling of SRP and the application for the presidential issuance of a special patent and for the Philippine Economic Zone Authority proclamation within five months. The presidential proclamation declaring SRP a special economic zone was already issued last January 20.

Of the P3.379 million total contract price for Katahira, the city government has reportedly released P3.2 million to them already. But until they deliver the SRP titles, the council is holding in abeyance the release of the remaining balance. - Cristina C. Birondo