A very, very sad day, indeed

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

It was indeed, a sad day for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City as well. Governor Joseph Marañon picked the most appropriate words in describing the reaction of his provincemates to the notice that the much anticipated development plan being offered by AyalaLand Inc. had been called off.

For more than a year now, Negrenses and Bacoleños had been looking forward to the start of the development that, as shown in the perspective presented by the company, would have greatly enhanced the landscape of the city. And it was not only the aesthetic aspect that they wanted to see, they realized, too, that the same area would become a commercial hub where business enterprises would rise and provide jobs for thousands of provincial and city residents.

The Province had done its part, it had gone through the required bidding process, prepared all required documents, and, as also required, submitted the proposal to the Commission on Audit for its review and approval.

Months, and then an entire year and more passed without action or notice from the COA, giving rise to apprehensions that some political shadow was looming over the transaction. Such apprehension turned to suspicion when, despite follow-ups and appeals to the COA, silence continued to meet the requests of the province for information about the status of the case.

All this peaked when it was discovered that the other contending bidder, SM Prime Holdings, who lost the transaction, was filing a case against the province, contesting the bidding results that did not favor it. Matters worsened when it was also disclosed that the head of the COA was married to the legal counsel of SM Prime Holdings.

The COA head has since inhibited herself from the case and left the country. In the meantime, none of her subordinates would release the results of their review, or give any hint of what had transpired. Hence the decision of AyalaLand that it could wait no more, and its calling off the project.

It will be long, long days of sadness, but it is hoped that Negrenses now understand what had gotten into this proposed project that had caused it to fail before it could begin.*