SM Prime, Ayala Land bid for Negros Occ. Property

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — Only SM Prime Holdings and Ayala Land bid for the 7-hectare property of the Negros Occidental provincial government during the second bidding conducted at the Capitol Thursday.

The Capitol properties that are up for bidding total 7.7068 hectares that stretched from the Philippine National Bank at Lacson Street, down to the North Capitol Road Aguinaldo St., to Gatuslao St., until the boundary of the old Provincial Jail.

The bids were submitted to the Committee on Awards and Disposal of Property chaired by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.

The committee did not announce the amounts offered in the bids as is done during regular biddings, but the governor said it was evaluating the bids and will be making computations before it can announce the winning bidder on Tuesday.

During the first bidding on June 24, only Ayala Land had submitted its bid papers, which were returned unopened for the second bidding.

Provincial Legal Officer Jose Ma. Valencia earlier said the first bidding was declared "failed" because under Commission on Audit (COA) rules, there should be a minimum of three bidders for a bid to be valid.

Marañon however clarified Thursday that two bidders could already be allowed.

SM Prime Holdings, through its president, Hans Sy, submitted last month an "unsolicited intent" to purchase or lease some of the Capitol property, particularly those situated at the back of the Capitol along Gatuslao St. until the boundary of the Provincial Jail.

Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (3rd dist., Negros Occ.), a close friend of the Sy family, said that SM Prime did not participate in the first bidding because it believed that since it was the first to submit an "unsolicited proposal," it was under the law already making "a formal bid," which should be recognized by the provincial government as such.

SM Prime Holdings was reportedly planning to put up a P2.5-billion investment in the property, which would include a convention center that can accommodate 3,500, and two 200-room hotels and shopping centers. (FREEMAN)