Ben Madilynn
THE Mandaue City Government is set to begin construction of a new one-stop-shop government center on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, following a ceremonial groundbreaking held on Thursday, Aug. 29, at the site of the former Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).
The event was attended by key city officials, including suspended City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Acting Mayor Glenn Bercede, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and other city officials.
The project, funded by a P3 billion loan from the state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines, aims to centralize all government services in one location, offering Mandaue residents a more accessible and streamlined experience.
The contract was awarded to WT Construction.
The government center, which will stand on a 4.3-hectare property, is designed to be an eight-story building incorporating green building features, reflecting the city’s commitment to sustainability.
In his speech during the ceremony, suspended mayor Cortes emphasized the significance of the project, not just as a physical structure, but as a symbol of the City’s commitment to progress.
“For a long time, we’ve envisioned a center where all government services are housed under one roof, making it more accessible for everyone. But this project goes beyond the construction of a physical structure. It is a symbol of our collective hope and our unwavering commitment to progress. Ang dugay nang gipangandoy natuman na gyud,” Cortes said.
The groundbreaking marks the beginning of a 35-month construction timeline, which includes a four-month design phase to finalize the blueprint of the government center.
The project represents a major milestone in Mandaue City’s ongoing efforts to modernize and improve its public services, said Cortes.
The site for the new government center, the former CICC, has a storied history.
The 3.2-hectare lot in the North Reclamation Area, where the CICC was built, was sold to the Mandaue City Government for P300 million in 2017 during the administration of then-governor Hilario Davide III.
However, the sale was later questioned by the Commission on Audit (COA), which pointed out that the transaction was conducted without public bidding and without securing prior approval from state auditors.
In 2023, Gov. Garcia and Mayor Cortes reached an agreement that the City would pay the Provincial Government the remaining amount if the COA’s reappraised value turned out to be higher than the original price.
Garcia, reflecting on the historical significance of the CICC, said on Thursday, “This was a historic building, na hilakip sa kasaysayan natong mga Sugbuanon, part of our rich and storied past, and included into that history is the staging of the 12th ASEAN Summit.”
Once completed, the new government center is expected to become a cornerstone of the City’s efforts to centralize and enhance public service delivery. / CAV
