CEBU CITY – The Cebu provincial government is pushing through with its plan to build a government center in Balamban.
And for Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, the project must start as soon as possible.
The national government has allocated P200 million for the construction of the government center that will also become as the new Capitol once completed.
The P200-million budget was coursed through the Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas (DPWH 7).
“We are moving forward and we will need to start already lest the amount of P200 million be set aside. That is why the DPWH is anxious to start,” Garcia said.
Aside from the P200 million from the national government, the provincial government has appropriated P500 million for the project, Garcia said.
Garcia and DPWH 7 officials, led by its regional director Ernesto Gregorio Jr., met last Aug. 3 to discuss the project.
“We met with DPWH and this is as regards to the P200 million that is in the 2022 General Appropriations Act specifically to help the province of Cebu in relocating its government center to Balamban,” said Garcia.
The current Capitol building is located on Osmeña Boulevard in uptown Cebu City.
Garcia has assured that the current 85-year-old Capitol building will be preserved once the provincial government center moves to Balamban, a first-class municipality.
She said the provincial government center that will be built in Balamban will be a replica of the current Capitol building.
“As I had already said, the design of the government center or the executive offices will be a replica of this Capitol. There was a good presentation by DPWH. A simulation of the Capitol actually located in the identified area where we will be putting up the edifice,” Garcia said.
Negotiations are under way for the acquisition of the lot where the new building will be constructed.
Garcia said the province intends to buy 100-hectare area “but I don’t know if that’s realistic.”
“We hope to get at least 50 hectares at the price that I want. These are all titled lots. I’m still asking for a lower price. I hope they will agree because once we would have purchased a certain area, property prices will shoot up all around. So I need to purchase as much as we would like,” said Garcia.
The provincial government center will also house offices of various government agencies.
A housing project for provincial employees will also be built.
“Not just think of relocating Capitol but we need to think also of putting a government center for our provincial and regional offices of the national government,” said Garcia.
The lady governor said the province is also looking into “other possible commercial ventures” once the provincial government center is already up.