BEFORE proceeding, happy reading to Parañaque City councilor, Jun Virata, a public servant that the local folk of Bgy. Don Bosco and nearby areas should feel comfortable in having at the city council not only to look after their interest but the entire city as well.

Mabait na, matulungin pa itong si Konsi Jun kaya hindi nakakahiya na maging kaibigan ang mga katulad niya, ‘di ba, kasamang Alvin Feliciano?

Maligayang pagbabasa rin kay Sgt. Vic Santos ng Parañaque Police Office na pinabilib tayo sa kanyang pagiging masipag at matinong pulis. ‘Yun bang... naglilingkod nang walang hinihintay na kapalit kaya, mabuhay ka, ser!

And speaking of the PNP, students of Perpetual Help in Biñan City are grateful to the local police force under the able leadership of my good friend, Supt. Leo Luna, for the kind assistance they got while completing their project in the wee hours yesterday morning.

Wala ring hinintay o inasahang kapalit ang mga pulis-Biñan sa pagpupuyat na ito, kaya mabuhay ka ulit, kaibigang Leo!

As for the MPD, the successful apprehension of the Chinese national, Gong Shuyang, who killed his girlfriend by the “boys” of MPD director, Chief Supt. Alex Gutierrez, coupled with the arrest of the small-time hoods who robbed a laundry shop in Manila, should send the clear message that crimes, both sensational and petty, are bound to be solved under his leadership.

Thus, we can both agree, Chief PNP Nick Bartolome, “small things” like these reflect the inroads your personal struggle to reform the PNP’s image before the public has been making, ‘di ba? Long time no, no see, ah!

* * * *

The latest development happening in IBC-13 is seen taking shape to solve its financial woes, deal with its restive workers and make it attractive to potential buyers, all at the same time.

These days, its compound in Capitol Hills, Quezon City is now busy with the development of its compound and converting most of its portion into mixed commercial and residential buildings. The joint venture project with a private developer will resuscitate the bankrupt broadcast station from its decades-long financial turmoil.

Observers now said that its management’s “best decision” is to agree to a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Primestate Ventures Inc., in order to solve its decades-old problems of gargantuan debt (over P1 billion) and unfulfilled obligations including those due to its employees, past and present.

Of course, critics never even bothered to offer how they can solve the problems IBC in the past and this early on, are now back in an attempt to stop a worthy project and even utilized an age-old query of a lawmaker in criticizing the project.

Mainly, Primestate Ventures Inc. agreed to infuse P728 million into the broadcast station in a span of six years, aside from modernizing the two studios inside the dilapidated IBC compound, IBC 13 and RPN 9, thereby making just a bit “competitive” to the established networks, ABS CBN and GMA 7.

In exchange, IBC has agreed to invest 3.6 hectares of its 4.1-hectare property in the Broadcast City compound for the construction of a mixed residential and commercial complex that will make the sorry and deteriorating compound into a vibrant community.

It should be recalled that because of its financial difficulties, IBC 13 has been exploring various ways and means to finance its day to day operations. However, bleeding at around P80 million each year on top of its various obligations to workers and creditors, not one company has offered a viable proposal.

And the entire deal having gone thru the arduous and time consuming process inherent in any transaction with the government, to still cast intrigue on it is to, needless to say, also cast doubt on the officials of the Office of the President through the Public Information Agency (PIA), Commission on Audit (COA), Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), who all participated in the talks culminating with the signing of the JVA in March 2010.

A JVA is good alternative in order to save failing government companies from their financial turmoil. A JVA is entered into when a company does not want to sell its assets but would like to earn from it despite its condition. The private sector will infuse funds to make its assets profitable thereby infusing much needed funds and making the company financially viable.

Of the P728 million, P278 million will be paid by Primestate Ventures Inc. in cash outright which will be allocated for the settlement of employees’ benefits via an escrow facility with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).

IBC employees, both active and retired, have started getting their share of the P278 million since the whole amount had already been placed in an escrow account with the BPI. To date, a total of 309 employees have received P200,000 each from three releases made from the BPI account and more is forthcoming as releases have been scheduled every six months.

The remaining P450 million will be paid through the construction and delivery of six storey-corporate building, two live studios and a commercial building for IBC to be situated in the 5,000 square meter property in the Broadcast City compound.

The JVA increased the value of the IBC property from P441 million to at least P728 million. Add to that is a revitalized broadcast operations, for both IBC 13 and RPN 9.  Certainly, investors are taking a second look at IBC with the future invigorated operations of the state-run network.

This is indeed a classic example of how public-public partnership (PPP) should be carried out to get the best deal for the government.

Meanwhile, everyone is invited to participate  in another ‘Run-for-a-Cause’ event this coming February 25 to February 26 beginning at the Sierra Madre Country Club in Mayagay, Bgy. Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal.

Dubbed ‘Love a  Tree, Tanay Trail Half Marathon,’ the occasion was PIMCO Sporting Events, which would open with a camping and tree planting activity on the first day and the marathon proper the next day.

The activity aims to develop public consciousness on the importance of the Tanay mountain and its immediate environs in protecting the greater Manila area from nature’s wrath like typhoons and floods and this can only be done with every ‘environmentalist’ and fitness buff’s support.

The parting message therefore is: “Takbo na tayong lahat para sa kalikasan!”

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