After 11-year delay: City, DOH-7 seal lot deal

CEBU, Philippines — After eleven years, the Cebu City government and the Department of Health (DOH)-7 finally sealed a deal that formalizes the land-swap agreement for a two-hectare land in exchange for Cauit Island.

Yesterday, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and DOH-7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas signed the deed of donation to formally seal the land-swap agreement.

Garcia explained that Cauit Island, before it was reclaimed, was a property of the DOH, where it was used as a Quarantine Center. Subsequently, Cebu City reclaimed at least 295 hectares of land in the South Road Properties (SRP), including Cauit Island.

He specified that the area where a hotel currently stands is also a portion of Cauit Island. As a result, an agreement was made to transfer the ownership of Cauit Island to Cebu City in exchange for a two-hectare plot of land.

The two-hectare land is located along the stretch of the SRP beside the Department of General Services (DGS) Office.

“Dugay na kaayo ni, 2013… sa side sad sa Cebu City Government ba nanguha man gani tag yuta atong bayran in exchange, kay in good faith baya ang DOH nga ila gyud gihatag nato, nya kita di ta mutupad sa atong gi saad nila nga tagaan nato sila og two hectares,” said Garcia.

When asked why the supposed donation remained idle, Garcia shrugged off the question and instead suggested asking about the previous years.

According to Bernadas, Cauit Island served as the Bureau of Quarantine for DOH. Its purpose was to isolate patients who needed separation from the rest of the city.

“Unfortunately, naabot na siya sa reclamation area project sa Cebu City,” said Bernadas.

He added that there was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2010 between then-Secretary Francisco Duque III and former Mayor Tomas Osmeña, which led to the land-swap deal.

To Bernadas, they also did not know as to why the transfer of ownership of the said land had remained idle. He added that their legal office followed up on the matter to ensure the transfer was signed.

“Gahuwat raman gud sad ta nga ma-aksiyonan ni siya… hinay-hinay, namugna og nigawas ra gyud ni siya,” said Bernadas.

Bernadas added that the construction for their DOH building is ongoing on the supposed two-hectare land. The only hurdle they are facing is the formalization of the transfer of ownership to the DOH.

According to Bernadas, the first building completed in the same area is the National Blood Center, which is already operational and serving various towns. The second building, a two-storey, 2,000-square-meter structure, is still under construction.

Bernadas said the development of this building has been slow due to their limited budget and the pending ownership transfer. The second building will serve as the relocation site for the DOH-7 office, along with support facilities, including laboratories. It will also house training centers and storage facilities.

Once the transfer is formalized, the current DOH-7 office near the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) on Osmeña Boulevard will be completely vacated—an area that originally belonged to VSMMC.

According to Bernadas, VSMMC's planned expansion is envisioned to be a seven-storey building, with a target capacity of 2,400 beds.

Bernadas also said that once they move, the expansion of VSMMC will commence—an action they have long been mandated to do since 2018.

“Lapas na kaayo, kay five years man ni kay nagsugod ta sa SRP 2024,” said Bernadas.

As the construction of the second building nears completion, Bernadas said they are conducting a follow-up on the title and land ownership to begin the transfer. He added that they cannot begin the transfer without the title. However, he noted that the MOU signed years ago provided them with security regarding the certificate of title.

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1505 in 2008, declaring Cauit Island (also known as Kawit Island) as alienable and disposable. The proclamation also transferred its administration and ownership from the DOH to the Cebu City Government, to form part of the Cebu South Reclamation Project. — (FREEMAN)