Iloilo keeps optimism as Apec venue delayed
THE ILOILO Convention Center is being rushed to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in September. Photo courtesy of UrbanScape Philippines and Iloilo City government
ILOILO CITY—Organizers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings in Iloilo City continue to put on a brave face in the wake of a delay in the completion of the main venue for the Apec events, saying the facility would be ready when the time comes.
“We are banking on the assurance of the (Department of Public Works and Highways or DPWH) that it will be ready when the meetings start on Sept. 21,” said Junel Ann Divinagracia, executive director of the Apec local organizing committee.
Divinagracia was referring to the construction of the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC), which had been funded partly by pork barrel credited to Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Divinagracia said the building, including meeting halls and rooms for Apec delegates, would be ready for use on Sept. 16.
The completion of the P747-million ICC had been delayed anew and is set to be turned over by the DPWH to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), an agency under the Department of Tourism, by the end of the month.
Tieza recently awarded the contract for services of a professional congress organizer to Rajah Travel Services with an approved budget of P4 million. It also awarded a P17-million contract to Jan Carisse Enterprises for furniture and fixtures.
But the public bidding for the ICC’s site development and audio-video lighting system is scheduled on Aug. 24 yet.
The site development project, worth P29 million, includes the construction of the building’s perimeter fence, guardhouses, signage, flagpole and parking areas.
The Apec events at the ICC include the small and medium enterprise ministerial meeting on Sept. 21
to 25, disaster management on Sept. 22 to 23 and on food security on Sept. 28 to Oct. 6.
The ICC is being built on a 1.7-hectare parcel of land donated by giant property developer Megaworld Corp. at the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao District here.
It is partly funded by the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (P100 million). Other funds came from Tieza (P200 million), DPWH (P200 million) and P200 million from the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel, of Drilon.
Divinagracia said the organizing committee has alternate venues in case the ICC won’t be ready.
These include hotels with conference halls and the restored old Iloilo provincial capitol.
The organizing committee is also tapping at least 100 volunteers and delegate coordinators to help in hosting the meetings.
The volunteers and coordinators would undergo a four-day training program by the Department of Foreign Affairs on diplomatic protocols.
