In an effort to conduct a thorough housekeeping of Capitol properties, Gov. Gwen Garcia wants to review the documents covering over 24-hectare property covered by a joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Capitol and Pagtambayayong Foundation Inc. (PFI).
Particularly, Gov. Gwen Garcia would want to know if the 8.4-hectare portion of the lots located in Brgy. Kalunasan in Cebu City, which PFI had returned to the Capitol, are what constitutes the entirety of “undeveloped” lots.
PFI, a housing foundation for mutual aid designed for low-income groups, entered into a JVA with the Capitol during the term of former governor Lito Osmeña in September 1991.
Under the agreement, PFI will develop over 24-hectare properties owned by the Province of Cebu into low-cost housing, with priorities to be executed in favor of Cebuanos from the province. Proceeds from the development will be shared equally between the parties.
Over 30 years later, however, only 16.4 hectares have been developed and utilized, while the remaining 8.4 hectares are left undeveloped due to PFI’s financial constraints, prompting PFI on its own accord to return the undeveloped lot to the Capitol.
On December 13 last year, PFI formally returned these 8.4 hectares of undeveloped lots to the Capitol in an agreement signed by Gov. Garcia and PFI president Jane Tumagan and executive director Paula Fernandez. PFI since then effectively waived any rights guaranteed it by the JVA.
During a meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday, February 28, Fernandez assured the governor that they would cooperate with the Capitol’s efforts of reviewing the documents, specifically deeds of conveyance, so a comparative data can be extracted on whether the previously returned property is the entirety of undeveloped lots. | Babie Jane Revecoy