Gov won't give lot to Popcom

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has turned down the request of the Population Commission (Popcom-7) to donate a lot where they can be relocated but has instead offered them the lease of another Capitol-owned lot or building.

Although Popcom was able to show documents to support their claim of a lease contract forged with the provincial government years ago. The papers are, however, incomplete and also showed that their agreement with the provincial government already lapsed in 2000.

One document was signed by former governor Osmundo Rama on behalf of the provincial government but does not have the signature of the late social welfare minister Esefania Lim for Popcom. A second document has the signature of Lim but lacks Rama's.

As stipulated in both documents, Popcom was to lease the 2,000-square-meter property of the province at a "giveaway price" of P750 annually within 25 years.

Nevertheless, only Popcom has the documents to support the legality of its occupancy in the province-owned property in barangay Banilad from among all government agencies that are presently occupying there.

And since their lease contract with the provincial government expired six years ago, the province is now intent on recovering the said property along with other capitol-owned lots located in the area.

In their negotiations, Popcom officials reportedly asked if the province can donate a lot to them and build them a new building where they can transfer, a suggestion deemed absurd by the governor considering that in the past, the most that the province had offered was lease of its property.

The governor recently had a meeting with Popcom executive director Tomas Osias, who was granted authority by the board to negotiate with the province.

"I told them the best that we can offer them is another area which they could rent because we cannot go beyond what is the original intent of the arrangement between the province and Popcom," she said.

The governor said the province is now looking at the possibility of providing office spaces that Popcom will rent.

Garcia has yet to hear feedback from the Popcom board on what she discussed with Osias. - Cristina C. Birondo/BRP