The passage of the proposed takeover ordinance of the BREDCO port will give the wrong signal to investors and will not make the city “business-friendly,” Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella said yesterday.

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod passed on second reading Wednesday the proposed ordinance laying down basic polices, guidelines, rules and procedures for the protection of the rights of ownership by the city over the reclamation project.

Puentevella said the matter is a very delicate issue that will be resolved faster if a better negotiation was done between the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp., the city and the national government.

“If you solve this through takeover, (BREDCO president) Simplicio Palanca will not take this sitting down. If the matter reaches the Court the case will take a long time to resolve,” he said.

Puentevella said he is in favor of a negotiation between the city, BREDCO, the Philippine Reclamation Authority and that Palanca should also be invited.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the proposed ordinance is only on second reading.

“Let me remind him (Puentevella) that the BREDCO issue is completely different matter from an ordinary investment,” he said.

Leonardia said this is a contractual matter between the city and BREDCO. It is guided by the terms and conditions of the contract and is not like any other business concern, he said.

The terms and conditions of the contract are the law and guiding principle between the parties, he added.

“At the same time, it is premature for us to make conclusions because the SP process is not yet over. So let us give our SP due respect and wait for their final action,” Leonardia said.

Meanwhile, Puentevella said he was informed that the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation election is being allegedly bastardized through offers of casuals, laptops, Boracay trips from the so-called City Hall candidates.

He said majority of the congressmen believe that the SK is not relevant anymore but he is in favor of it being a training ground for the youth.

Leonardia, however, said “Look who's talking. Besides, who have offered something like that to the SK? Not us.”

Maybe again he (Puentevella) thinks this way because that is what he wants to do, or is doing, he said, adding that “Thinkers are doers.”

SK chairman Jason Olivar of Brgy. Pahanocoy, who is being endorsed by Puentevella, said they want to serve as models to their constituents and must maintain their credibility.

On the other hand, Puentevella claimed that there are squatter families in Bacolod City who could not be relocated to the Vista Alegre-Granada (Abada-Escay) relocation site until January because there is a rice plantation in the area.

Executive Assistant to the Mayor Valentine Jamelo said the rice plantation, which is less than a hectare, is not the reason why they could not be relocated right now. The reason is that the title of the property has been revised to accommodate more squatter families in the area, he said, adding that the matter will be presented to the Mayor and the SP next week.

Jamelo said the residents of Abada-Escay have asked the city if they could use the idle lot in the area to plant rice. However, these could be harvested anytime, he added.*CGS

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