BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan ordered concerned offices of the local government to prepare the simple terms of reference for the public bidding of the operation of the city-owned Asin hotspring resort located in Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet.
The local chief executive said the local government won the case it filed against the previous resort operator, thus now inviting qualified operators to bid in the operation of the Asin hot spring resort.
“It is high time that qualified resort operators manage the Asin hot spring resort so that the income will start accruing to the coffers of the local government. We have to assign responsible people to manage the resort so that we will not be short changed like what had been happening in the past,” Domogan stressed.
Eugene Buyocan, assistant City General Services Officer, revealed personnel of the local government already served the notice of eviction to Roger Sinot but the latter continued operating the facility after the city staff left. Buyocan recommends the assignment of permanent personnel to guard the government property from illegal occupation by unscrupulous individuals.
Domogan claimed the best remedy to the current predicament of the city is to formulate the terms of reference to justify the conduct of public bidding for the operation of the resort so that the former operator will eventually vacate the area.
According to him, the city must already possess this property to maximize the use of the resort as venue for seminars and outdoor activities not only for city officials and employees but also for the paying public.
Earlier, a local court ordered the eviction of Sinot as operator of the Asin hot spring resort and ordered him to pay the local government the amount of more than 800,000 in alleged accumulated rentals and surcharges for having operated the city-owned property over several decades now.
While the local government is awaiting the conduct of the bidding process, the City General Services Office was advised to hire job order personnel who will be assigned in the area to guard the swimming pool and other facilities within the Asin resort from being wilfully used by the former operator and other people living in the area for their personal benefit.
The Asin hot spring resort is one of the most frequented places in the nearby town of Tuba because of its therapeutic properties and it serves as a rest and recreation area for local residents considering its proximity from the city, being 16 kilometers away from the city proper or a good 45 minutes drive along paved roads./By Dexter A. See
