Local business group president blamed for bazaar mess
With their names being dragged into a controversy with the city government, the board members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Marikina chapter (PCCI-M) have stepped down, leaving the group’s president to deal with the issue alone.
The mass resignation happened in April after the board of directors learned of PCCI-M president Eduardo Francisco’s alleged mismanagement of last year’s Marikina Christmas Night Bazaar of which the city government tasked the group to operate.
The board’s move, however, was revealed only recently after Marikina Mayor Del de Guzman announced he would file charges against the group after it failed to pay P14 million to the city government—part of the P22 million “contract price” for the bazaar operations.
“The … officers and members of the board of directors of the corporation [PCCI-M] are tendering their resignation as officers of the corporation and members of the board effective from the date hereof, as they no longer see it fit to be officers and members of this current business organization having lost their trust and confidence in its current President and management,” said a resolution passed in April by the PCCI-M’s board of directors which was obtained by the Inquirer.
It was signed by 14 board members led by vice presidents Ramadan Guiamano and Patrick Tanco.
Francisco has yet to respond to texts and calls made by the Inquirer to his cell phone.
The mass resignation came after the board held meetings on April 2 and 3 when Francisco, who they had authorized to deal with the city government for the organization of the bazaar, failed to inform or update them on how the event went.
The board noted on April 2 that they learned about their pending obligations to the city government in connection with the bazaar only on January 30 when they received a final demand letter from the city government for the payment of P17 million. That was also the time they were informed that previous demand letters had not been answered.
The board members then decided to take a nonconfrontational stand with the city government on the issue in order to preserve their good relations. They also agreed to renegotiate the payment of obligations after forwarding P3 million from the bazaar profits as they decided to conduct an investigation of the matter.
However, Francisco, whom they had asked to talk to De Guzman to negotiate the matter, did not show up for the meeting.
The next day, April 3, the board stepped down after a thorough assessment of the issue.
Francisco had earlier said that the group did not owe the city government any more money because it incurred losses from operating the bazaar.
