𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐋 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝟏𝟓𝟎𝐌 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐀𝐁
𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒
To address mounting space constraints within the Capitol complex, the Cebu Provincial Government under Governor Pam Baricuatro has earmarked P150 million for the rehabilitation of the long-abandoned Marcelo B. Fernan Hall of Justice located behind the Capitol Executive Building.
The project is expected to support the Capitol’s efforts to improve government service delivery by expanding office capacity and providing permanent spaces for provincial offices currently operating under temporary or shared arrangements — a move that is expected to help decongest existing facilities and improve operational efficiency.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Ace Durano said the allocation, sourced from the province’s Development Fund under the 2026 budget, is intended to jumpstart repairs on the building after more than a decade of inactivity following the devastating 2013 earthquake.
“We need more space also. So only a part of it will be used by the Court of Appeals (CA), the rest the provincial government will be using,” Atty. Durano told the media in an interview.
The CA has already expressed interest in occupying a portion of the building, while the larger area is intended for Capitol use.
SHARED OFFICE SPACES
Atty. Durano noted that several provincial offices are currently operating under temporary arrangements due to limited office space, including the Barangay Affairs Office, Provincial Sports Commission, and Investment Promotions Office.
The P150 million allocation represents only the initial phase of a multi-year rehabilitation project estimated to cost around P400 million.
Despite this, the Capitol hopes to make at least a portion of the building operational before the end of Governor Baricuatro’s term.
“Ang target ana before this term of Gov. Pam ends, magamit na siya. Kon dili man gyud ang tibuok building, at least a portion of it,” Durano said.
AWAITING DOJ AGREEMENT
Funding for the project has already been integrated into the 2026 budget. However, actual rehabilitation work remains dependent on a formal agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ), which originally constructed the building.
Discussions between the Capitol and the DOJ have been ongoing since last year, with the Provincial Legal Office facilitating negotiations.
“The remaining issue na lang is because that building was constructed by the Department of Justice, so we just need a new arrangement with them on how we will manage it,” Atty. Durano said, adding that they are still awaiting the agency’s official response.
Despite the delay, he said initial feedback from the DOJ has been positive, noting that legal arrangements are being pursued as a matter of courtesy and to clarify management responsibilities.
“If we go to the legalities of it, any improvements on a property at the end of the day will belong to the property owner. But partly courtesy na lang sad being another agency of the government, ang ato lang gyud is to have a formal arrangement with the DOJ,” he explained.
STRUCTURAL CLEARANCE SECURED
Before proceeding with rehabilitation, the Capitol had commissioned structural assessments to determine whether portions of the building could still be salvaged. Atty. Durano confirmed that the structure had already passed evaluations conducted by independent structural engineers and the Office of the Building Official.
“Actually it passed already, maong we’re going to the next stage, which partly is getting the consent from the DOJ and the formal agreement with them aron masugdan na ang rehabilitation,” he said.
Assessments found the first, second, and third floors structurally sound and suitable for use, while the fourth floor will have to be demolished due to extensive damage sustained from past disasters.
IDLE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE
Located behind the Capitol Executive Building, the Marcelo B. Fernan Hall of Justice has remained largely unused since suffering heavy damage during the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Bohol on Oct. 15, 2013.
Before its closure, the facility housed Regional Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Public Attorney’s Office. Since then, it has served mainly as storage for old records while remaining under security watch. /𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶, 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑪𝑵𝑼 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑨𝒔𝒉𝒅𝒆𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝑭𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒔, 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒖𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒐
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