PMO head Ernesto Viernes yesterday said with CICC already 97 percent complete there is no doubt they can turn over the said project to capitol with everything finished.
CICC is going to be the venue of most of the meetings during the upcoming 12th Association of Southeast Asian Summit this December.
Viernes said the remaining three percent of works that they have yet to complete covers carpeting, painting of ceilings and all partitions, the comfort rooms and lavatories, cabling of the International Media Center and all other minor works inside the building.
Carpeting of the CICC floor is slated to start on November 7 and it can be completed in a week or two.
The test run of all air conditioning units is also scheduled on November 7. Three five-ton air conditioning units will be installed in the minister's room.
The two escalators had just been brought in to CICC yesterday, these are expected to be installed within three to four days.
Landscaping of the CICC site is already ninety-nine percent done, according to Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez, who is tasked by the governor to oversee the implementation of the project.
By November 16, Viernes said the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. will take over for the furnishing of the CICC.
As to the projection of Sanchez that CICC total project cost may possibly reach P650 million, Viernes said the remaining items of work that need to be completed "is not even worth millions" so that he is confident they can work within the P450-million budget.
Sanchez, a civil engineer by profession, projected an additional P200-million budget for the CICC, saying the prices of items needed for the electro-mechanical works and for its finishing have shot up.
He explained that when the cost estimates of CICC project were determined, there was no plan yet.
"I have already projected that it would reach that much," Sanchez said. - Cristina C. Birondo