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Tuesday, February 15, 2005
'Palusot' in Palace order, says Talisay solon
By Gingging A. Campaña
CEBU CITY -- Cebu City Hall finally got Malacañang's nod to declare 295 hectares of the South Reclamation Project (SRP) as a special economic zone.
Presidential Proclamation 763 was issued last Jan. 20.
But Representative Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, first district) said they might question the presidential proclamation.
Gullas, former Talisay City mayor, is claiming that about 54 hectares of the SRP is encroaching on Talisay's territory.
Gullas, who was surprised that Cebu City already got the Peza proclamation, warned Cebu City officials that Talisay will make an adverse claim.
"If the presidential proclamation was issued even though the SRP does not have yet a title, Talisay City will file an adverse claim," Gullas told Sun.Star Cebu.
But in a separate interview yesterday, Talisay City Attorney Aurora Econg said, "There is a quarrel about the special economic zone, as this is the President's prerogative to declare the project as such."
"But when it comes to the title, we might question if Cebu City will get a special patent because as far as Talisay City is concerned, the SRP is owned by the state. This could not titled under the name of any other entity," Econg told Sun.Star Cebu Monday night.
Approved
In a long distance interview Monday, Emmanuel "Loy" Cortero, Peza-Manila Information Technology officer, confirmed the declaration was already approved.
Cortero said the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) will post the presidential proclamation on its website.
The Peza website states that the requirements for the application for ecozone approval include a notarized application and anti-graft certificate, Securities and Exchange Commission registration (if applicable) and proof of land ownership or any perfected contract or document authorizing the applicant to use the land for ecozone purposes.
But Cebu City officials tasked to process the requirements needed for the declaration have been denying that a presidential proclamation was already issued.
Cebu Investments Promotions Center (CIPC) managing director Joel Mari Yu said Cebu City still needs the proclamation from Malacañang.
Yu said the SRP was already registered with the Peza in 1999, but it's only half of the process.
"We don't have the title for the SRP yet, which is a requirement for the declaration but Malacañang is already aware that we are applying for the presidential proclamation. It's still pending," Yu, who was at the mayor's office, told reporters Monday.
In a separate interview, SRP manager Nigel Paul Villarete said he would not know of the presidential proclamation, as he was only tasked to facilitate the application for the titling.
Gullas and Mayor Tomas Osmeña have been at odds since Talisay City blocked Cebu City's application for the special patents and title to the SRP.
Cebu City needs clearances from at least 10 government agencies for the titling. Of the 10 agencies, only Talisay City refused to sign, Villarete had said.
Presidential Proclamation 763 created and designated the 2,956,929-square-meter parcels of land of private domain in Cebu City as a special economic zone.
The declaration was pursuant to Republic Act 7916 as amended by Republic Act 8748 known as the Peza Charter, and Resolution 97-273 dated Aug. 18, 1997 of the Peza board of directors.
Section 24 of RA 8748, which amended the Peza Charter, states that no local or national taxes shall be imposed on business establishments operating within the zone, except for real property taxes on land owned by developers.
Sun.Star Cebu obtained from Peza-Manila Monday a copy of the proclamation signed in Manila by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and President Gloria Arroyo last Jan. 20.
The copy was certified by Lamberto R. Barbin officer in charge of the Malacañang Records Office on Jan. 25, 2005.
(February 15, 2005 issue)
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