Artist Impression of a redeveloped Carbon Public Market | Photo courtesy of Megawide Construction Corporation
According to the complainants, Megawide and Cebu City officials committed grave abuse of discretion and malice in the execution of the JVA. Thus, Megawide should be barred from recouping its initial investments on the project.that the Cebu City government had no right to include certain lots in the JVA considering that the ownership of these are under the national government, even if the city government was given administrative rights over it.
Aside from the issue of ownership and dominion, Lao, also pointed out that the process of the JVA is questionable as only 10 days were given for counterproposals to be filed, echoing the previous complaint of CFI Cebu Cooperative, which wanted to counter Megawide’s proposal.The 50-year term is excessive and unprecedented.
“The formalization of Carbon through a profit-oriented privatization of its operations will dispossess many vendors and other supporting workers of their livelihoods, and will have lasting impacts on the overall cost of living in the city,” said Dr. Ramon C. Sevilla, Urban and Regional Planner.
Still, Rama said the City Council will tackle this issues in hopes to resolve it before the main construction of the new market will begin.City Administrator Floro Casas, Jr., who heads the joint venture selection committee, said the JVA went through the proper process.