Iloilo City seeks public markets investors

THE Iloilo City Government is scouting prospective investors to develop public markets in the metropolis under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas clarified the small vendors will stay in their stalls.

“We will retain the ground floor for the vendors. We will protect social issues. The investors may be free as to how tall they will decide to go up with their development,” Treñas said.

The city’s markets are experiencing short collections from their targets, congestions, clogged drainage system, leaked roofing as well as flooding.

PPP has been considered an option and best solution to implement priority infrastructure initiatives amid budgetary constraints.

“We need to enter into PPP because it will sustain income and revenues for the City Government. Our markets are also in deplorable state. We want to have the best public markets in Western Visayas,” Treñas said.

The mayor already formed a group to handle potential PPP improvements including rehabilitation and upgrading of public markets, city slaughterhouse, waste-to-energy facility, mixed-use horizontal development complex and sports arena.

Slaughterhouse rehab has already attracted eight interested firms while the waste-to-energy plan has drawn three groups.

Treñas has tapped the expertise of PPP Center from Manila to assist the city in its bid to realize and materialize possible PPP projects.

They visited two big markets Central and Terminal commonly called Super in City Proper for site inspections.

An orientation workshop was conducted Aug. 22-23 for the newly-constituted PPP Selection Committee that sets into motion possible projects that maybe undertaken or entered into through such scheme.

A Technical Working Group aids the committee in the performance of its functions and responsibilities.

“There is a need to fast-track the implementation of PPP programs and projects to accelerate the infrastructure development of the city and sustain economic growth,” stated Treñas, who also chairs the team.

PPP is in accordance with Republic Act No. 7718 or the “Act Authorizing the Financing, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Infrastructure Projects by the Private Sector, and for Other Purposes, otherwise known as the Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) Law.” (PIO)