City wants to own zoo lot

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon is requesting Mayor Michael Rama to negotiate with Gov. Hilario Davide III to ask the latter to donate the property where the Cebu Zoo is located.

“We might as well maximize the opportunity to get favorable agreement with the lot and pursue negotiation with Davide. Then, come up with a proposal to the province para ato na ang yuta,” Dizon said.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said the lot becomes a “stumbling block for any development” the city government is eyeing for the zoo.

Poblete recalled that former governor and now Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia (3rd District, Cebu Province) was then very strict that every development for the zoo needs an approval from the provincial government.

Dizon said it is high time for the city through Rama to talk with Davide, his former colleague in the Cebu City Council.

He added that the said lot was not part of the donated property to the Boy Scout of the Philippines, however, the province had devoted the property to Cebu City as a zoo.

Cebu Zoo manager Giovanni Stephen Romarate said the facility is earning P1.2 million annual income or P100 thousand monthly revenue.

Romarate said they are planning to put up 10 urinals each for female, male and persons with disability (PWD). The zoo has three existing comfort rooms.

Romarate submitted a total of P17.6 million budget for next year which include the comfort rooms, maintenance, supplies, food for the animals and fence. The budget and finance has still to determine for the approval of the budget.

Dizon said he is for the improvement of the zoo considering that Cebu is highly an urbanized city next to Manila.— /GMR (FREEMAN)