Thursday, April 19, 2007 Capitol reminds UP about donation terms
THE Cebu Provincial Government is reminding the University of the Philippines (UP) about the conditions stated in the deed of donation, after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Os-meña’s campaign speech before residents of Barangay Lahug.
Osmeña, in a political rally last Monday night in Lahug, reportedly assured residents that he is willing to give UP Cebu College a relocation site either at the North Reclamation Area or the South Road Properties.
Residents occupying lots owned by UP face eviction after they lost the case the UP administration filed against them.
The residents have since refused to leave the properties, and Osmeña had raised the idea of swapping properties with the state university.
But Provincial Attorney Marino Martinquilla yesterday said UP’s properties used to belong to the Provincial Government and were donated for academic purposes.
Provincial Real Estate Section Chief Paul Entera disclosed that the Capitol gave the university 14 hectares but less than half of the area is being used by the school.
An important provision in the deed of donation, Martinquilla said, is that the property must be used solely for academic purposes, such as for graduate studies in the fields of business administration, public administration
and education. The donation was made in 1963 by then governor Francisco Remotigue.
If the school uses it for purposes other than what is provided in the provision, Martinquilla said the Province will have the legal ground to revoke the donation.
With this, Martinquilla said that no other development can be done on the UP property without the participation of the Provincial Government.
Osmeña had told residents he would not allow their eviction as long as he is mayor.
Last Monday, he asked them to support his reelection so he could also give them full support in their concerns. (JPM)
