Gov‘t sets privatization of 2 prime lots

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration is working to privatize two big-ticket properties by the end of its six-year term, a ranking Finance official said.

In an interview with The STAR, Finance Undersecretary for Privatization John Philip Sevilla said that following the successful sale of Food Terminals Inc. (FTI), the government is working on privatizing the 108-hectare Welfareville in Mandaluyong and its 300-hectare property in Muntinlupa.

“This is what we’d like to achieve before the end of the Aquino administration but these are big, complex projects. It will take time but we’re working as fast as we can,” Sevilla said.

The Welfareville is where the National Center for Mental Health is located. The Women’s Correctional Institution is also located in the area.

The government’s Muntinlupa property, meanwhile, is where the National Bilibid Prison is located.

However, Sevilla said there are no specific timetable or deadline for the privatization of the two big-ticket properties because of the complexities involved.

He said the Department of Finance (DOF) is coordination with other concerned government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH) for the Welfareville sale and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the relocation of the Bilibid prison facility.

Sevilla said the privatization process would be implemented in the context of reconstructing the country’s penal system.

The Justice department’s Bureau of Corrections is currently working on strengthening prison facilities in the provinces to accommodate inmates from Mandaluyong in case they would be relocated outside of Metro Manila.