Joy Belmonte welcomes law allowing sale of UP property

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday welcomed the passage of a law allowing the University of the Philippines (UP) to sell 22 hectares of land in Barangay Krus na Ligas to the city government.

“We are extremely grateful to the President for signing this into law since we have been working with our local congressmen on this for the past three terms,” she told The STAR in a text message.

“We are grateful that the President acknowledges by signing this into law that the people living in Barangay Krus na Ligas have a legal claim on the property (as they have been) there long before UP was established,” she added.

Republic Act 11454, signed by President Duterte on Aug. 30 with the copy released this week, amends the UP Charter to allow the sale of property at a fair market price to the Quezon City government.

It mandates the creation of a technical working group, which shall be in charge of determining who among the existing residents in the area are qualified to subsequently buy the property from the city government.

Belmonte said the city government will meet with UP officials to negotiate the terms of the sale and come up with a viable scheme to ensure the full implementation of the law.

The UP administration has also welcomed the new law, with vice president for public affairs Elena Pernia saying they would strive to implement its provisions within the time prescribed in the measure.

“The new law was proposed by the Quezon City government to the House of Representatives to address the problems of the residents of Krus na Ligas,” she added.