CICC to be repaired for 2015 APEC summit

ACTING Gov. Agnes Magpale is not giving up on the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Magpale said the CICC is not for sale and would be spruced up for use in 2015 for another international conference.

She said the Capitol already submitted to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) a proposed rehabilitation plan for the facility.

“We will have to make do with the CICC and have it rehabilitated for the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit,” Magpale said.

She was reacting to talks that the Mandaue City government is toying with the idea of buying the CICC and converting it into its own City Hall.

Cebu is one of the possible venues of the gathering of heads of states of 21 countries in the Pacific rim.

Other possible venues being looked into by Malacañang are Manila, Tagaytay, Boracay and Davao City.

The CICC was built to serve as the main venue of the 2007 summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation.

In the proposed rehabilitation plan, the Capitol will spend about P66 million for the repairs, especially the convention center’s roof.

“DPWH promised to help in the CICC repair,” she said.

Mayor Jonas Cortes earlier said the CICC which sits on about two hectares of prime commercial land in the Mandaue Reclamation Area, was worth millions of pesos and could be a good one-stop City Hall.

The 75-year-old Presidencia Building which serves as City Hall in Mandaue City can no longer host all local government offices.

Fresh discussions on the fate of the CICC opened last December after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered a criminal and administrator investigation on suspended Governor Garcia and six other Capitol officials over alleged irregularities in P263.2 million worht of extra work done to complete the facility.

The Capitol originally spent P800 million to build the center.