MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2019
development cost, as validated
Speaking Out
Atty. Ignacio R. Bunye
The untold story
of Muntinlupa's
People's Center
I AST Mondav.'public
I was invited speak before the committee,
Lto attend a hearing I narrated, by way of an ice
called by the Muntinlupa
Sangguniang Panglungsod.
It was a pleasant experience
to once again set foot at the
People's Center, which houses
the city council. While I irave
often been invited to functions
at the Muntinlupa's city hall, I
rarely had the need to pass by
the People's Center.
The public hearing was
called by the Committee on
Appropriations, chaired by
Majority Floor Leader Raul
Corro, assisted by Councilor
Jun Sevilla.
On the agenda was the
proposed sale to the city
government of two pieces
of property, situated in llaya,
Alabang, as a possible site
of a City Health Center in
Alabang.
Th is writer attended in
behalf of the Bunye family
which owned the properties.
Also in attendance were
Vice Mayor Temy Simundac,
Councilors lvee Arciaga
Tadefa, Ting Niefes, Alexson
D iaz, Louie Arciaga, Allan
Camilon, Marissa Rongaville,
Arlene Hilapo, Lester Baes,
Ryan Bagatsing. Nep Santiago
and Sanggunian Secretary
Cecil Lazarte. .
The committee also invited
City Assessor Vince Misa and
Engineer Manny Carbnto as
resource itersons.
It
was almost 3:30 p.m.
when our agenda item was
called.
Prior to this. the Committee
on Appropriations heard
proposa ls from various
national agencies, covering
proposed Memoranda of
Agreement (MOA) involving
national projects which were
proposed to be implemented
within Muntinlupa City.
When it was my turn to
by construction plans and
financials.
Immediately, two propective
bidders backed out, leaving
only two men standing.
On the scheduled bid date,
. Bidder A and Bidder B arrived.
Both submitted their manager's
checks and their sealed bid
documents.
When the sealed offers were
opened, it was immediately
breaker, the extraordinary story clear that Bidder A submitted
behind the construction of the the superior bid. I thanked
People's Center. Bidder B for their interest in
Unknown to many, except participating and immediately
perhaps for Majority Floor returned Bidder B's manager's
Leader Corro (who Was the check.
Municipal Attorney at the time Bidder A jubilanily notified
of the building's construction), Bidder A's foreign partner.
the People's Center is the only Edd ie (Eddie who? Eddie
building constructed by the local ako!) immediately deposited
government for which it did not the F200 Million check with
spend a single centavo. PNB, which at that time was
The city council was still the depositary bank of the
astdnished! Municipality of Muntinlupa.
Here was how it happened. Everything went well until
ln 1986, when I assirmed Gringo intervened. The next
office as OIC Mayor of few months in 1989 were
Muntinlupa, (following Edsa 1), marred by repeated coup
Muntinlupa was still classified attempts. Bidder At Taiwanese
as a fifth class municipality. foreign partner got scared and
The municipality was only backed out.
making F28 million a year, Not long :after, a forlorn
barely covering the-salaries Bidder A came to my office. He
of employees. But it had informed me of the bad news
valuable properties. No, I am that his foreign partner had
not referring to the New Bilibid backed out. He also requested
Prison. if he could be refunded the
One such property occupies F200 Million, considering that
what is now the Alabang the non-performancd of his
Jeepney Terminal. contractual obligation was
In 1988, the localqovernment caused by "force majeure".
decided to offer the property Bidder A was legally correct.
for a joint venture mixed-use I returned his F200 million, but
development. Im med iately, retained the interest earned
four developers expressed kedn on the deposit to compensate
interest. the local government for
During the pre-bid conference, opportunity loss.
I explained the ground rules, The local government earned
To prequalify, the bidders must F5 million and that was how
have 1) financial capacity 2) we were able to construct the
proven development track People's Center.
record and 3) very important, I am often am-used reading
must have at the time of the signs posted on jeepneys
submission of their sea led proclaiming the source of their
bids, a manager's check, provenance, eg. "Katas ng
payable to the Municipality of Saudil "Katas ng Pawis".
Muntinlupa, in the amount of If I were to think of a taglihe
F200 Million. to appropriately describe the
The check ivould serve as a People's Center, it would be
cash performance bond. "Kinita sa Kudeta!"
It was made clear that the Note: You may wish to
deciding factor for awarding 'share the foregoing article via
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