Gwen wants Centcom lot back pronto
CEBU, Philippines - Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has asked the new commander of the 2nd Air Division of the Philippine Air Force, Major Gen. Roy Deveraturda, to help fast track the reversion of the ownership of the Central Command lot back to the Province of Cebu.
Deveraturda paid a courtesy call to Garcia at the Capitol yesterday following his new assignment to the Mactan Benito Ebuen Airbase in Lapu-Lapu City.
He used to be the head of the Department of National Defense panel on the issue of transferring the Central Command headquarters when he was the deputy chief of staff for plans of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Garcia explained to Deveraturda that the Province of Cebu wants to start the process for the Public-Private Partnership for the said province-owned property which is right at the heart of city and would be very attractive to investors from the private sector.
“This will necessarily mean more progress to Cebu, more contributions to the Cebu economy,” Garcia said.
Another reason Garcia pointed out was the agreement with more than 1,400 families that occupy part of the properties that will be sold to them.
Garcia explained that unless and until this property is reverted to the provincial government, they cannot sell it to the homeowners.
The AFP also cannot sell the property to the settlers following the memorandum of agreement which states that the property shall be used only purely for military purposes otherwise it will be returned to the province.
Another consideration Garcia gave importance to is the high level of investor confidence in the present Cebu business environment.
“We should really, really take advantage of that so that we can get the best and most advantageous proposal for both the provincial government and for the economy of Cebu,” Garcia said.
Deveraturda assured Garcia he will do his best although he did not set a timeframe.
Garcia informed Deveraturda that her term ends on June 30, 2013.
“We would hope that we will be able to put a closure to this,” Garcia said.
In 2009, the Province of Cebu signed an agreement with the AFP for the transfer of the Centcom headquarters to Lapu-Lapu City.
Under the MOA, the province “shall replicate or cause to be replicated all the existing and identified buildings/facilities/structures of headquarters Centcom and its supporting units with perimeter fence at its relocation area at Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City.”
Those buildings and facilities that cannot be accommodated at the MBEAB shall be relocated at the lots appropriated for the AFP in Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City.
The Capitol has also agreed to transfer all existing structures and facilities of the Naval Quartering area within the province-donated lots at its relocation area at the Headquarters Naval Forces Central in Barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City.
The Provincial Government shall also “provide and ensure financial support and equipment” to the survey, preparation of the estimates, plans, designs, specifications and other activities with regard to this undertaking.
Last April, Deveraturda met Garcia to see to it that the provisions of the memorandum of agreement were implemented. —(FREEMAN)
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