Province may develop IT Park lot

CEBU, Philippines —  The Province of Cebu will now be allowed to develop its prime property inside the Cebu IT Park.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia revealed in an interview that she yesterday signed a Memorandum of Agreement on behalf of the Province of Cebu with Cebu Holdings Inc. allowing the province to develop one of its prime properties.

Lot No. 929-B, owned by the Province of Cebu is a 11,182-square-meter lot located in barangays Lahug and Apas in Cebu City. Back in December 1999, the Province of Cebu entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp. (CPVDC) allowing the private company to develop a green space and a 55-car parking lot in 6,162 square meters of the government lot.

This came with the condition that all structures erected on the provincial lot by CPVDC will be donated back to the Province of Cebu.

Part of the agreement was to restrict the Province of Cebu from constructing any structures on the section of the lot covered by the agreement.

“The province shall not introduce any structures, except for an office related to the use of the car parking area,” item number 8 of the 1999 MOA between CPVDC and the Province of Cebu read.

However, the governor’s current administration sees this deal as an economic loss. This considering that the government property rests in one of Cebu City’s major economic hubs.

“Sa probinsya man na, duna na’y restriction. Way back before my previous terms pa, naa na’y MOA between CPVDC and the province nga dili ma-develop sa province other than a parking lot,” the governor explained.

In their recent out-of-town session, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) passed SP Resolution No.14-11045 authorizing the governor to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with Cebu Holdings lifting and cancelling the restriction of the province from developing the 55-car parking lot.

“All restrictions and conditions for the use and development of the Developed Portion are hereby lifted, such as: (i) its use for green and/or open space and car park area; and (ii) introduction of structure limited to an office related to the use of the car parking area,” the MOA on the lifting of the restriction read. — BRP (FREEMAN)