Until the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) vacates the place, the establishment of Asia Pacific Medical City by Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) will have to wait, said an official.
“Sumulat na kami sa DAR para mag-usap at mag set-up ng joint-committee para sa eventual na pagtransfer rin nila (We have written to DAR to set-up a joint-committee and discuss about their eventual transfer),” SPDA operations manager Cristy Dagala said in an interview Monday at SPDA office, Matina, Davao City.
Last August 2018, SPDA got a reply from DAR stating that “it is prudent to coordinate with the Office of the Mayor of Davao City” in concern with the reversion of the property being used by DAR.
Dagala said SPDA agreed with DAR’s request and asked the coordination of the city government, but Dagala was told by City Administrator Zuleika Lopez that the issue is beyond the city government’s jurisdiction.
Agrarian Reform Davao regional director Joseph Orilla said DAR central officials in Manila are meeting in order to address this concern.
Orilla added it would be a logistical problem if DAR has to transfer to have the medical city constructed with the people working presently where DAR is located.
He added until the government releases an executive order to DAR for the department’s transfer, DAR will continue to operate in their current site at Catalunan Pequeño.
Asia Pacific Medical City is eyed to be built on a 4.7-hectare SPDA-owned land in Catalunan Pequeño where presently, DAR office is located. The funding of the medical city is estimated to cost around P10 billion. The facility will include a college of medicine, hospital, and business center.