Uniwide given ultimatum on Baguio market development

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY  – The city council gave an ultimatum to officials of Uniwide Sales and Resources Corporation and market review committee to appear before the regular session of the local legislative body on  Dec. 5, to shed light on issues concerning the long-delayed development of the city public market.

Members of the city legislative body expressed disappointment of the Uniwide officials’ disregard of invitations sent to them to answer  questions that cropped up after the Court of Appeals issued an order of liquidation on the company.

Vice Mayor Edison R. Bilog said it is the fifth time Uniwide officials failed to appear before the council  despite having appeared in several meetings called for by the review committee created by the local chief executive to answer questions about the alleged liquidation of the corporation which casts doubts on its capacity to implement the market development project

The council wants to be enlightened by the review committee on the latter’s findings and recommendations on how the local government will undertake the development of the public market amidst the reported liquidation of the company.

The council also decided to request the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Parañaque City for official copies of the reported liquidation proceedings to use as guidance by the local legislators in deciding whether to rescind or cancel the 20-year old market development contract.

However, Bilog claimed there were no official liquidation proceedings that have yet been undertaken by the concerned RTC because the case has not been officially raffled to any of the courts as the docket fees of the case are yet to be paid by the petitioners.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan created a review committee of the market development upon request of the council through an approved resolution, giving them 60 days from its creation to submit a detailed report on their findings and recommendations as to how the local government will handle the proposed market development plan.

More than four months had lapsed since it started its task but the review committee has yet to officially submit its report to the council, dismaying some legislators.

Without the report, no decision can be made on the contract.

The Supreme Court declared the constitutionality of the ordinance, which prescribed the rules and regulations for the development of the city’s public market and the validity of the contract that was entered into between the local government and Uniwide Sales and Resources Corporation, for the implementation of the development plan.