Consult people until satisfied

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- It was Abraham Lincoln who once said “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”

But government leaders today seemed to have forgotten all about Lincoln’s words considering that governance has changed its form. What we have now is a government of a few, by the few, for the few.

In the latest fiasco, Jarco Realty and Development Corporation as represented by Luciano Tan will construct a multi-million peso mall on a 3,910 square-meter area presently occupied as a parking area by the municipal government, private and public utility motor vehicles.

It was my suspicion as well as all other souls’ suspicion that only few knew about the project. For such a multi-million project, it indeed needs three, four, five, six or more public, I mean public, consultations until a majority, if not all, are satisfied.

On December 20, 2007, the La Trinidad Municipal Development Council passed Resolution No. 13-2007 which approved the proposed plan for the construction of a multi-purpose commercial complex at the La Trinidad public market under the BOT scheme.

One month later of January 22, 2008, under SB Resolution No. 25-2008, Councilor Jim Botiwey moved for the approval of MDC Resolution No. 12-2007.

This was so even while they have yet to see the construction plans of Jarco. Unless they knew that Jarco would be the winning bidder.

On July 14, 2009, the La Trinidad Bids and Awards Committee passed Resolution No. 074-2009 “recommending findings of Special Technical Working Group in favor of JARCO Realty and Development Corporation, finding JARCO to be eligible while the joint venture of KANE Construction, Inc. and Five Cents-Up to be ineligible.”

On August 11, 2009, the municipal council passed SB Resolution 149-2009 which “recognized JARCO as the sole eligible bidder and authorized Mayor Artemio Galwan to enter into a contract.”

Eventually, someone negotiated with Jarco so that on December 21, 2009, Mayor Galwan, representing La Trinidad, and Luciano Tan of Jarco signed the contract which signaled the first phase of the construction of the mall on the area presently occupied as a parking area by the municipal government, private and public utility motor vehicles.

One day later on December 22, 2009 the contract was unanimously ratified by the municipal council under Resolution No. 246-2009.

The question is “Who has been talking to Jarco?” According to some officials I have talked to, they have not even seen the shadow of Luciano Tan, but why move for the approval of the resolution? There is something wrong.

They have not even seen the floor plan or construction plan of the mall but apparently they approved of Jarco as if he has been a long time friend, a two-year old friend, or an old timer resident of Trinidad . Maybe he was living in one of the houses there.

Another question that needs an answer is “who chose the area?” Why construct a building on a traditional park that has been the playground plaza of La Trinidad for the longest time, even before the municipal building frontage was improved.

And Lincoln further said, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Obviously, Abraham Lincoln’s words are now buried in the dust under his bones, considering that officials look at themselves as owners of the public lands they are supposed to keep for the people who elected them.

In a press conference called for by people who were deeply concerned about the questionable project, they stressed that they are not anti-development but were one in saying that the center area must instead be decongested because the parking lot within the public market is the “symbolic heart and soul of the municipality and traditional plaza” of La Trinidad.

If so, then the parking lot is owned by all La Trinidad tax payers and therefore they should be the ones to decide on whether to allow the construction of a mall in the area.

By the way, why choose the parking area for a mall? Why not move it somewhere in Puguis or lease an area within BSU to decongest Km5? How much?

Lincoln said, “I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.” And so, the public officials of La Trinidad, especially the elected ones, should not rush things but conduct more consultations until their constituents are satisfied.

It is never good to rush things or ram things into people’s throats – especially if the matters at hand involve a more than P200 million-project to be built on a public area.

Quoting more of Lincoln ’s, he said – “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

Lastly Abraham Lincoln said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.” – marchfianza777@yahoo.com