Customs told to return to Aduana

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Port Authority is asking the Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu to return to its old building as the former will now use the building presently occupied by the bureau for free.

CPA General Manager Dennis Villamor, in his letter addressed to BOC district collector Ronnie Silvestre, stated that the CPA building being occupied by BOC has a monthly rental payment of P50,000 per month.

However based on the memorandum of agreement signed between two parties dated September 30, 2005 the rent was waived. The MOA already expired last September 30, 2010 and there was no renewal.

Villamor stated that as of this time, the Cebu International Port is congested with containers so that they need to utilize every inch they can for cargo storage and other operational purposes.

Villamor added that the lack of storage areas for their voluminous files has been a perennial problem and one solution that they see to address this without incurring additional government expenses is to use the said building currently occupied by BOC.

“Considering that your old office, which was converted by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo into a Malacañang of the South is now lying idle without any visible public use or benefit, we think that it’s high time and will be more advantageous to the government if you return to your old office,” the letter read.

Villamor added that they will write a letter to the Department of Finance and/or Office of the President for the said transfer and at the same time suggested to BOC to make such a recommendation.  

It can be recalled that President Benigno Aquino III during his visit to Cebu last September, said he has no plans to return the Malacañang sa Sugbo to the bureau.

Aquino said that he may convert MSS into a museum to boost Cebu’s cultural and historical heritage or he may use it as his quarters for his future visits here.

The BOC building was converted into MSS in 2004 when Cebu gave Arroyo a resounding majority of over one million votes during the 2004 national and local elections.

Arroyo then promised to frequently visit Cebu. She usually stayed overnight at MSS and her entourage instead of staying in an expensive hotel during her visits.

Earlier, former BOC district collectors and Commissioner Angelito Alvarez united to repossess the old BOC building in Aduana as the said structure rightfully belongs to the bureau.

Former customs collector Rolando Yebes had said that the nine-hectare building is owned by the bureau including the plaza in front of the building.

Yebes said that by history, the nine-hectare lot including the plaza is owned by the Bureau of Customs. No other government agency or entity has a title over the said property. — /BRP (FREEMAN)