Tesda-7 to appeal anew decision of Capitol to relocate the agency

The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority-7 would appeal again to the Cebu provincial government for reconsideration of its decision to relocate the agency from its present site to another.

Tesda regional director Urbano Budtan said he and his office were not opposed to the plan of the provincial government to use the present site, which the Capitol owns, and move Tesda out from there to another location.

A last appeal to Governor Gwen Garcia would be made, Budtan said, although he admitted that Tesda national secretary-general Augusto Syjuco already agreed with her decision over the transfer.

"While this is a prime lot and the local government can earn from it, but Tesda is the breeding ground of our skilled workers mostly from the province of Cebu, who are bringing in dollars to the country," Budtan said.

Garcia, on the other hand, had assured the agency a temporary site at barangay Sudlon in Lahug, while other possible permanent sites would be explored.

Budtan assumed that the area, where Tesda-7 would relocate, would be similar in size to its present site of 1.9 hectares. The relocation should not hamper also the agency's operations, especially that there are equipment that must be reinstalled, he said.

Garcia earlier ordered the Provincial Planning and Development Office, and the Provincial Engineering Office, to identify the specific activities of Tesda-7 that would be given priority in the relocation site.

Capitol learned accidentally that it owned the commercial property where Tesda-7 is sitting at present. The deed of donation that Waterfront Hotel-Cebu City executed to the property was found to have some defects.

Tesda-7 had admitted that Waterfront, is issuing the donation, should have asked permission first from the provincial government.

Documents specified that the lot was donated to the then National Manpower and Youth Council, with a provision that the property would revert to the province in the event that NMYC is abolished. - Ferliza C. Contratista