Construction of Mandaue Clock Tower starts, sets to be completed in May

CEBU, Philippines — The construction of the Mandaue Clock Tower at the Heritage Plaza located across the Mandaue City Hall has officially started.

Atty. Jamaal James Calipayan, City Administrator, told reporters on Thursday, March 13, that the ongoing construction is not a repair of the previously built mock-up structure but the actual construction of the tower itself.

Since construction of the actual tower has officially begun, the City Government planned to complete the project in time for the Mandaue City’s Fiesta Day on May 8.

Calipayan said that the materials being used, this time, are those officially procured by the contractor, including steel and other concrete materials.

To recall, the mock-up structure currently standing, which was unveiled on New Year's Eve to welcome 2025, is made of marine boards.

He said that the mock-up clock tower at the Presidencia Heritage Plaza was built at no expense to the City, as it served only as a prototype for the permanent structure currently being constructed.

Calipayan said that the contractor set up the mock-up as a “sample proposal," and since the project had not yet been awarded at that time, the City did not incur any costs for it.

“No cost to siya kay last year pa man na nato siya gi bid out kato siyang pagbutang was the mock up structure ra gyud to siya. Wala to siyay gibayad ang City pa ato,” said Calipayan.

“For example, dili sila mao ang contractor nga mudaog, then ilaha tong i-pull out,” he further explained.

Calipayan said that the procurement was awarded as early as October 2024. However, the installation of the final materials was delayed at the request of the Department of General Services (DGS).

The delay was necessary to prioritize the City's Christmas 2024 decorations and lights.

Now that the holiday decorations have been taken down, the DGS has directed the contractor to resume work.

In February, the department held a conference with the contractor to initiate and finalize the infrastructure work that had been postponed.

Calipayan assured that the ongoing construction now uses the materials that were officially procured and follows the specifications outlined in the infrastructure plan.

“Inig kahuman ana mao nana ang atoang gi procure…Kato na ng sa ilang specification mao na na ilang ibutang,” said Calipayan.

He also added that the budget for procurement and the project timelines cannot be manipulated by the City Government, as they are recorded in the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which, he emphasized, cannot be altered.

Calipayan addressed this issue after the project sparked controversy when it was revealed that the deteriorating clock tower was merely a mock-up, raising concerns about its budget allocation and legitimacy.

However, Calipayan reassured the public that there is no cause for concern, as the mock-up structure built in 2023 did not involve any expenses for the City.

Former City Treasurer Atty. Regal Oliva, likewise, said that the City did not spend any funds on the clock tower and dismissed allegations that ?44 million was spent on the structure.

“Kanang clock tower wala man gyud tay nagasto para ana, to be clear about it, because that was just a mock-up given by our architect and respective contractor,” Oliva said. “Kanang ilang gisulte nga P44 million, ay kinwanggol na."

Oliva added that the mock-up was merely a visual representation of the project. Now that it has been covered with scaffolding, it signified that the actual construction is officially underway.

As reported, Calipayan said that the procurement efforts consisted of two main components.

The first component involved infrastructure and landscaping work for Heritage Plaza, with an estimated cost of P17 million.

The second component focused on lighting, electrical installations, illuminated tiles, and panels, totaling approximately P18 million.

He clarified that these procurement efforts covered the entire Heritage Plaza project, not solely the clock tower.

Designed to complement the Mandaue Presidencia, the tower is envisioned as an iconic landmark that will enhance Heritage Plaza’s appeal as a tourist destination. (CEBU NEWS)