CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has asked for the Cebu City government to resolve its conflicts with some business establishments as soon as possible so the matter would not drag on and dissuade potential investors.
This was after Mayor Tomas Osmeña sued Banco De Oro Unibank Corporation after he refused to issue its business permit over the bank's alleged under declared gross sales to allegedly escape due taxes.
CCCI president Melanie Ng said that while the chamber understood the stand of the city government, the matter should be resolved as soon as possible because prolonging the issue would have an adverse effect on businesses here.
Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino also urged the Osmeña to 'stop bullying' businesses in Cebu City so as not to scare off investors.
Osmeña wanted to rescind the sale of the city government's 45-hectare property at the South Road Properties with SM Prime Holdings, Ayala Land Inc., and Filinvest Land Inc. purchased during the incumbency of his predecessor, former mayor Mike Rama.
Osmeña claimed that the purchase was anomalous because the lands were bought at a lower price (P35,000 to P38,000 per square meter) when the city could have sold the lots at P110,000 per square meter.
Last Monday, February 20, an FLI announced that they would cancel the contract with the city government because the titles and other documents were not given to them following the purchase.
Dino said Osmeña was bullying investors just to get his way.
Ng said that as of the moment, the conflict between the mayor and a few businesses has no effect yet to the business climate of the city.
"We do not know what happened in the bidding but we just hope that they will amicably settle these issues," said Ng.
She said CCCI would continue to promote Cebu City to investors despite the conflicts and that they are now in the planning stages for the Cebu Business Month events in June.
CCCI, she said, would also be in the forefront in promoting Cebu during several Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit meetings that would also be held in Cebu. (FREEMAN)