Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival is seeking to redevelop the 20-hectare Boy Scouts of the Philippines Capitol Hills property, a project estimated to cost between P400 million and P500 million.
Following discussions with DBM Secretary Kim de Leon, a meeting is scheduled for July 20, 2026, with the DPWH to begin preparing a comprehensive development plan for the site’s rehabilitation.
Mayor Archival aims to revive the property as a modern scouting hub within two to three years, enabling the city to host future national events and bid for an international jamboree.
CEBU CITY Mayor Nestor Archival is pushing for the redevelopment of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Capitol Hills property in Cebu, a project estimated to cost between P400 million and P500 million, with the long-term goal of reviving the site into a modern scouting hub capable of hosting an international jamboree.
Archival disclosed the plan after meeting with Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Kim de Leon during his recent trip to Manila, saying the discussion stemmed from his role as a director of the Boy Scouts in the Eastern Visayas Region.
Archival explained that he had raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of the BSP’s 20-hectare Capitol Hills property during a Boy Scouts meeting about a month ago, stressing that it was time to rebuild the camp that once served as the home of scouting activities in Cebu.
“When I visited the property, particularly the scouting area, I saw that most of the buildings were already in a state of disrepair,” Archival said.
He said he floated the possibility of the Cebu City Government providing financial assistance for the redevelopment, although no specific city funding has been allocated yet since it would still have to undergo the budgeting process.
Following the discussion, Boy Scouts officials reportedly informed the DBM secretary, who also serves as the secretary general of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, about the proposed rehabilitation.
Project endorsement
According to Archival, De Leon expressed support for the project and encouraged them to prepare a comprehensive development plan.
As part of the next steps, Archival said a meeting has been scheduled on Monday, July 20, 2026, with engineers and architects from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), together with Boy Scouts officials, to begin preparing the project’s plans.
Archival clarified that the Capitol Hills property is owned by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and is not privately owned. He added that the land had originally been donated by the Provincial Government.
Structural rehabilitation
He said the redevelopment would involve rebuilding the facilities almost entirely from scratch because most of the existing structures have already deteriorated beyond repair.
Among the priority components of the project is the construction of a perimeter fence to prevent illegal settlers from entering the property, unauthorized tree cutting and the possibility of informal structures being built inside the camp.
The proposed redevelopment will also include a new jamboree hall, activity grounds and other facilities necessary for scouting activities.
Sustainable investment
Although the existing swimming pool remains intact, Archival noted that it no longer has water and that most of the camp’s facilities are no longer usable.
He lamented that because of the condition of the campsite, scouting jamborees are now often held outside Cebu City, particularly in the province.
Archival estimated that redeveloping the BSP camp would require around P400 million to P500 million.
Despite the significant investment, he believes the project will be financially sustainable because fees collected from future users of the facilities can help support the camp’s operations.
Funding follow-ups
He said restoring the camp would encourage more scouting chapters from across the country to hold activities in Cebu City and eventually position the city to bid for an international jamboree.
“We hope to revive the area and, in the next two to three years, be able to bid for an international jamboree,” the mayor said.
He added that the target is to complete the redevelopment before the end of the DBM secretary’s remaining two-year term.
Aside from discussing the Boy Scouts project, Archival said he also used his Manila trip to follow up Cebu City’s pending requests under the Local Government Support Fund.
He clarified that the funding has yet to be downloaded to the City.
One of the City’s priority requests is financial assistance for solid waste management, particularly the acquisition of equipment for composting operations and a refuse-derived fuel machine as Cebu City continues to address its garbage disposal challenges.
The mayor said the City’s proposed infrastructure funding remains at P145 million, the same amount earlier requested for the National Government’s rice-related assistance program.
He added that the proposal is still undergoing evaluation by the National Government. (CAV)