Carcar City officials fail to attend PB session

CEBU, Philippines - Carcar City officials failed to appear before the Cebu Provincial Board yesterday to explain the P600 million loan they made from the Development Bank of the Philippines for the construction of the Carcar City Center.

The Provincial Board has asked the Carcar City officials to explain PB the P600 million loan for the city center, which will house the new city hall, public transport terminal and public market.

However, the City Council Secretary of Carcar sent a letter to the PB, saying that Mayor Nicepuro Apura had another important appointment, which was scheduled ahead of the PB’s session.

Apura has asked for a re-schedule of his appearance, together with Vice Mayor Patrick Barcenas and members of City Council, before the PB.

Provincial Board Raul Alcoseba, who urged the PB’s Committee on Investigation to summon the city officials before the PB, said the city has amended an ordinance on the budget for the Carcar City Center.

The city is part of the first district of Cebu, which is represented by Alcoseba and PB member Julian “Teban” Daan.

Alcoseba said Carcar City was supposed to secure a P350 million loan for the project, which will cover the construction of the public market worth P160 million and P90 million for the terminal.

However, Alcoseba noted that the loan was recently changed to P600 million to cover the construction of the public market now priced at P245 million, P5 million for the terminal and P350 million for the city hall.

According to Alcoseba, the city will need to pay P73 million every year for the loan within 15 years.

The principal of the P600 million loan per year is P40 million and the city will pay a P33 million interest every year. The city has an annual income of P359 million, which has a debt servicing cap of P71 million.

The Freeman tried to contact Apura but calls have been unanswered. He earlier said though that the city has the capacity to pay the debt.

 Alcoseba, who is running for mayor of Carcar City in the May election, said “whatever he (Apura) says, politics is politics. If he thinks it is politics it’s up to him.”

The city center will be constructed in a 34.7 hectare lot in barangays Valladolid and Poblacion.  (FREEMAN)