THE Cebu Provincial Government and the Department of National Defense (DND) are currently negotiating about the transfer to AFP headquarters after the province recovered the military-occupied lots in Barangay Apas, Cebu City, the Capitol's online news portal Sugbo News announced.
DND Secretary Jose Faustino Jr. turned over to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia the titles of 17.5 hectares of the 80 hectares of land covering an initial 16 parcels of lots in a ceremony at the Capitol Social Hall on Monday, October 3, 2022.
The full 80 hectares involve a total of 47 parcels of land.
Those who attended the negotiation were Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, her legal consultants and DND Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Anthony Ramos and some personel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The government officials discussed the amount that the Capitol is going to spend for the relocation of the AFP Viscom headquarters somewhere in northern Cebu.
“Somehow, somewhere, we have to reach a certain amount that will be common, collectively agreed upon. That is the path we will go,” Garcia said through Sugbo News.
Based on a memorandum of understanding entered into by Governor Garcia and former Defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. in 2007, the Capitol will allot P1 billion for the relocation program.
Garcia said she wanted to have a "benchmark" in the negotiation so that they will know the things to be done in accordance with the mentioned agreement. (ANV, TPT)