In the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Gov. Gwen Garcia signed an agreement that effectively turned over to the Cebu Provincial Government 19 additional lots occupied by the Visayas Command (VisCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Brgy. Apas, Cebu City.
Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. signed the agreement on behalf of the Department of National Defense (DND) at the Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base on February 27.
The DND had also turned over 16 other parcels of lots with a total area of 17.5 hectares to Capitol in October 2022.
These properties are part of the 80-hectare property donated by the Capitol in 1959 to the Military, provided that they be utilized for military purposes.
The donation, however, was revoked in 1995 after the Capitol discovered that parts of the properties were used as housing site for military personnel and some informal settlers, as well as golf driving range, among others.
In 2019, the Supreme Court sided with the claim of the provincial government, affirming with finality the Capitol’s legal claims to the subject property after breach of the donation conditions had been clearly established.
Capitol, under Gov. Garcia, is looking to develop these prime pieces of lots, located very near the Cebu IT Park, into economic enterprises that would yield a steady flow of revenue in favor of the Provincial Capitol and the Cebuanos.