Capitol donates lot to Napolcom

CEBU, Philippines – The National Police Commission-7 will soon have a permanent home in Cebu after years of renting a building along Natalio Bacalso Avenue after the Cebu provincial government donated a lot in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

The Capitol gave Napolcom a 1,000-square meter property where its regional office for Central Visayas will be constructed.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III and Commissioner Eduardo Escueta, Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer, signed on Friday a deed of donation for a portion of the province’s property.

Among the conditions set in the donation is for Napolcom-7 to construct its building on the donated lot within one year from the execution of the deed of donation, otherwise, the donation will be void and the property will be reverted to the province.

“That in the event the donee (Napolcom) abandons the portion herein donated or shall no longer use it for the purpose intended, the same shall be forthwith revert to the donor (Capitol) without need of legal proceeding,” part of the deed of donation states.

Escueta, in an interview, said Napolcom-7 has earmarked P20 million for the construction of a two-storey building which would serve as its new regional office. He said the amount for the construction was sourced from Napolcom-7’s standby fund and 2016 budget.

“We’ll start the construction right away and finish it within one year… It’s a very significant milestone of our effort to modernize and make our regional offices really catering the needs of the people,” he told reporters after the signing of the deed of donation.

Currently, Napolcom is occupying three floors of a building along N. Bacalso and renting them for a total of P58, 000 a month.

Escueta added that they have been pushing for the construction of their regional office years back, but it was not realized due to unavailability of space for it.

“Nagpapasalamat kami kay Govenor Davide for being gracious enough to donate a very valuable property of Cebu. With this donation, we can now start building the (regional office) that Cebu province can be proud of. We’ll make our services available to our Philippine National Police and whole population of Cebu,” he said.

Last year, Napolcom sent a request from the province for the lot donation.

In a separate interview, Davide said the province immediately acceded to the request, noting the need and the convenience it would bring to the people and the neighboring provinces in the region.

“That is also our way of helping a national government agency,” he added.

The province’s property in Lahug was declared as government center during the time of late president Corazon Aquino. —/FPL (FREEMAN)