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In yet another symptom of the deteriorating relations between him and the Garcia administration, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez questioned the failure of Capitol officials to inform him about queries posed by investors on the Transaxial Highway project.
Sanchez said he was in the best position to answer questions about the pre-feasibility study done on the Transaxial network project because he spearheaded its implementation in the first place.
?If there were any questions, why did they not invite me so I can explain it to them. Look at the environmental groups whom I explained to, there's no problem,? he told CEBU DAILY NEWS.
Outside of the project?s status, the vice governor and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia already figured in a disagreement over the entry of Tuburan town officials into the administration One Cebu party.
Earlier lawyer Aristotle Batuhan said his client, a Manila consortium, was unable to make a proposal on the Transaxial Highway project because the pre-feasibility study data was ?outdated.?
Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda admitted that the same concern was raised by other interested groups.
Sanchez pointed out that since he managed to convince the environmental groups about the project's safety, there was no reason he couldn't persuade the investors.
He said there were foreign groups who made queries and were satisfied after he gave them a briefing on the project.
The provincial government allocated P10 million for the 14-month pre-feasibility study which Sanchez submitted to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in March last year.
Sanchez said the study have not been acted since and is pending before the Economic Enterprise Council (EEC) chaired by Governor Garcia. Sanchez is the EEC's vice chairperson.
Sepulveda said three groups approached the governor's office to ask for data on the proposed Transaxial Highway project.
One of them is the Manila based consortium represented by Batuhan.
The Capitol consultant said Batuhan's clients were given a copy of the three-volume pre-feasibility study which included data on the layout of the proposed Transaxial Highway, its land classification and initial project costing.
Sanchez said the pre-feasibility study already included the project's preliminary design, a computation of the rate return of investment and a survey of the location of the proposed Transaxial Highway?s location and its alignment.
He said seven groups signified interest on the Transaxial Highway project, including Quantum International of Texas, United Engineers of Malaysia and Dunhill of Australia.
He said there were also groups based in Iran, Dubai, Singapore and China that have showed interest on the P50-billion project.
?I have showed them the terms of reference and concept of the project,? Sanchez told .
A full feasibility study on the project that would already include its detailed engineering would cost at least P200 million, said Sanchez.
?Investor na ang mo kumpleto ani (It's the investor who will complete this),? he said.
As a civil engineer and a project contractor by profession, Sanchez said he was aware of the process to be followed in implementing development projects.
After the completion of its feasibility study, Sanchez said the project was supposed to be advertised.
A pre-bidding conference is held where interested groups could raise questions, clarifications and ask for additional data on the proposed project.
Sanchez said these groups would then be asked to draft technical and financial proposals which they would submit as bid.
From among the proposals submitted, the provincial government would chose the best offer.
?Ug nagpatabang lang sila nako, siguro naa nay 50 percent completion ang project pero gi bypass man ko nila,? Sanchez said.
He said he trusted that the Transaxial Highway project would be implemented when Garcia assured support in her 2008 and 2009 State of the Province Address.
But the project has not moved to date, he said. ?The project is considered dead,? Sanchez said.
Sanchez said that if the development project would be calendared for discussion in their EEC meeting, he would surely attend the meeting.
