MAYOR Mauricio Domogan recently received an official communication from Malacañang for the local government to bare its development plans for the Dominican Hill property turned over to the city in 2005.
Domogan said his administration was reminded of the city’s obligation to implement the master plan of turning the 32,402-square meter property into a tourism and heritage facility which it acquired from the presidential management staff (PMS) for free during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The city mayor assigned personnel to look into what the city has done for the property in previous years as well come up with a timetable for the completion of other improvements for further development of Domincan Hill.
During Domogan’s previous term, the City Government was able to improve the property with improvements in landscaping and construction of multi-purpose halls in the property.
As a pilgrimage area, Dominican Hill is also the site for the Largest Ten Commandments Tablet in the World and listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as well as a favorite meditation and prayer site during Holy Week.
The mayor said improvements made by the City Government for the property are substantial but admitted hat a huge budget is needed to further develop the property according to its initial master development plan which was then initiated during the term of former Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.
The City Council also recently approved for the declaration of the site as a National Historical Site and Structure which paved way for the site to be visited by National Historical Commission executive director Ludovico Badoy.
Domogan further interpreted the communication from the PMS as a reminder for the city to meet its obligations prescribed in the Memorandum of Agreement with the national agency signed April 5, 2005. He also tasked the City Environment and Parks Management Office to list down projects yet to be completed based on the master plan.
However, he said no deadline was given by the PMS for the city to implement the Dominican Hill development plan.
In 2009, former Mayor Bautista was also reminded by then PMS Secretary Cerge Remonde to implement the master development plan supposed to be completed within five years until it was turned over to the city.
The city then implemented for the construction of a parking area and perimeter fence in Dominican Hill worth P13 million but still below an initially estimated P98 million needed then to complete all the projects.
The Dominican Hill property was once the site of the Dominican convent and school before being turned into the Diplomat Hotel after World War II.
After the hotel operations ceased, the site was abandoned in 1987 with its ownership passing through the Ministry of Human Settlements and eventually the PMS, who eventually turned over the property to the city government.
Prior to the 2005 turnover, the site was planned to be repossessed by the PMS after years of debate from a civic group wanting the area to be the site of a heritage and mining museum and another group wanting it to be a prayer mountain.
All these discussions then made the City Government step-in and decide to develop the area as a heritage and nature park with the City Environment and Parks Management Office tasked to manage the property before any repossession could take place.
Reports from the City Tourism Office revealed some 3,000 tourists flock the site annually especially during summer months and the Holy Week.