Council okays South Road Properties lot donation to UP

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has approved the committee report giving authority to acting Mayor Michael Rama to pursue donating a lot of the South Road Properties to the University of the Philippines.

This after the Committee on Laws headed by councilor Edgardo Labella, reviewed the resolution and recommended its approval.

The resolution authored by councilor Jose Daluz III which authorized Rama to execute and sign the Deed of Donation in favor of UP was referred to the said committee two weeks ago



According to Labella’s committee report, the proposed resolution is within the power of the city council to enact considering that a local government can grant loans or provide grants to educational institutions as part of its duties and functions.

Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, earlier called for the resolution’s deferment doubting the capacity of UP or the national government to start or sustain the project.

Abellanosa cited properties of UP Cebu which are in Lahug and also in Lawaan, Talisay City, which are now claimed and occupied by squatters.

He suggested other school options which can sufficiently support and start the project especially as the SRP is a prime lot.

Last Wednesday and prior to the approval of the committee report, Abellanosa then asked for specific plans of UP but Labella reasoned said it is already mention in the deed of donation.

Labella said UP is under condition to use the property as part of its flagship Centennial Project to offer programs in the fields of computational science, product design and packaging, communications design, management sciences, mathematics and the arts and humanities in the Visayan and ASEAN regions.

Labella also said the property will be taken back by the city should UP fail to construct the needed infrastructures in three years time.

With this Abellanosa agreed for the approval of the committee report.

The city intends to donate to UP, Lot 1-G-Part, situated in the SRP with an area of 51,372 square meters.

UP graduates are seen to boost manpower of locators soon to be established in SRP. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)