The two-hectare lot in Brgy. Busay, Cebu City which the Cebu Provincial Government had donated to the University of the Philippines Cebu will soon be recovered by the Province.
In a meeting on Tuesday, UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar told Gov. Gwen Garcia that the UP Board of Regents has approved the draft of the memorandum of agreement that would cover the mutual revocation of the property’s deed of donation so that it would revert back to the Province.
The document is now awaiting the signature of UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, Atty. Malagar added.
The two-hectare lot in Busay was Capitol's donation during the time of then-governor and now Vice Governor Hilario Davide III, with the approval of the Provincial Board in 2016.
The lot was meant to serve as a relocation site for the 530 individuals in Sitio Avocado who lost their homes in a fire on December 26, 2015.
In March, this year, Malagar met with the governor and spoke of the state university’s intent to use the Sitio Avocado lot to erect a P65-million UP Cebu High School building, among other developments but could not do so because of the informal settlers occupying the land.
In the same meeting, Malagar said they were able to identify at least 115 households who have constructed their houses on the school property but are willing to relocate.
Gov. Garcia, for her part, said the Province is willing to develop the Busay property if the university agrees to revoke the lot donation mutually, which Malagar supported.
Once the MOA is signed by both parties, the Busay property will be developed by the Capitol to serve as relocation site for the identified informal settlers of UP Cebu.
UP Cebu stands on a 14-hectare property donated by the Cebu Provincial Government in 1963 during the administration of former governor Francisco Remotigue. | Baby Jane Revecoy