3 groups eye RP's Fujimi property

MANILA, Philippines - Three real estate groups with presence in Japan are vying for the government’s grand Fujimi property, Finance Undersecretary Estela Sales said yesterday.

“Fujimi is scheduled to be bid out on Dec. 3,” said Sales, adding that the three groups have submitted pre-qualification documents for the lease and development contract for the 4,361-square meter property.

The government hopes to bid out the property for at least P3 billion.

Sales also said the government would push through with the lease despite opposition from Filipino and Japanese artists and cultural workers.

“If we are restrained by appropriate authorities, we will have to stop it. But there are no such restraints,” Sales said. 

Earlier, the government announced, through newspaper advertisements, that the bidding for the Fujimi property was Nov. 16 but this did not happen.

Sales said the government wanted to attract more bidders. Finance Undersecretary Crisanta Legaspi, however, said the bidding date is really Dec. 3, denying that it was moved because of the lack of bidders or protests from cultural groups.

The Save Fujimi Property International Network has been staging protests in front of the property which is currently used as the residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Japan.

The group has said that the government’s Fujimi property has significant cultural and historic value and should not be commercialized.

Filipinos opposed to the sale include Bienvenido Lumbera, National Artist for Literature and University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus, Roland Tolentino, Dean of the UP Diliman Collegeof Mass Communication and Judy Taguiwalo, Professor at the UP College of Social Work and Community Development.

The coalition has already asked the Senate through Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to stop the bidding of the property.