Gwen hopes to inaugurate new CPPO building by August

CEBU, Philippines – Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is looking forward to the inauguration of the new Cebu Provincial Police Office building as one of the activities lined up for the 440th founding anniversary of the Province of Cebu in August despite the many obstacles the project is facing.

The construction of the CPPO building has been delayed for several reasons. Garcia said that there was a problem in acquiring its needed building permit which is crucial for acquiring other permits like electrical permits.

She said that it was only approved when Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama was Acting Mayor. But when Mayor Tomas Osmeña, then on leave for cancer treatment in the US, heard of the development, he wanted to withdraw the building permit signed because he planned to construct a road on the affected lot.

Yet when they challenged the joint venture contract between the Filinvest and the Cebu City government, Garcia said that Osmeña granted them the building permit.

Another problem was the promise of then Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Calderon that if the province will donate a land, PNP will provide P10 million for the construction of the building. But Garcia is standing by one of her personal resolutions that the province will never donate land again. Rather, she suggested that the province can spend for the actual construction of the building and the P10-million donation can be used for the furnishing, equipment, logistic support, and other things needed before the actual construction.

But another drawback is that the initial transaction of the PNP is still around P1.5 million. However, Garcia said she is assured that the PNP will maximize their releases of the funds within the year even if it will not be the whole amount. – Barbara Anne B. Ocaba/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)