Gwen seeks NHCP’s help to stop ‘Torre de Davide’

Rep. Gwen Garcia (3rd district), who is running for governor, is asking the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to issue a cease-and-desist order against the Province to prevent it from implementing the P1.5-billion Capitol Resource Center project.

In her letter to NHCP Chairman Rene Escalante, Garcia said the Province has yet to secure a written permission from the commission to proceed with the project.

Escalante earlier called the Province’s attention, through Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, for failing to reply to his query last year concerning the recommendations the NHCP made on the project.

Escalante said the Capitol cannot proceed with the project as its design could affect the historical value of the old Capitol building, which was declared a national landmark.

Garcia said Gov. Hilario Davide III is ignoring Escalante’s plea to submit to the NHCP a new development plan before undertaking any work in the area.

“With such action, it appears that Governor Davide is hell-bent on implementing the subject construction project, even without securing a prior written permission from the commission,” Garcia said, in her letter.

“Not available”

SunStar Cebu tried to get the side of Davide and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale but calls and texts to their cellular phones remained unanswered, as of press time.

Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega, in an earlier interview, said the Province doesn’t need NHCP’s permission to construct the building.

Ortega pointed out that the proposed 20-story Capitol Resource Center is separate from the existing Capitol building.

Based on Republic Act 10066, or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, there are only two circumstances when NHCP’s permission is required. First, when there is any modification, alteration or anything that will change the original state of the declared historical landmark, and second, if any work includes the design and security of the heritage buffer zone, extending five meters from the visible perimeters of the landmark.

Ortega said neither of the two circumstances is present because the proposed building will be built 25 meters from the national landmark.

As of yesterday, work on the building had yet to start as the governor needed the Provincial Board to authorize him to enter into a contract with WT Construction, which won the bid to implement the project.

Some PB members, though, particularly those allied with Garcia, questioned the proposal.

Garcia had wondered why the Capitol insisted on proceeding with the project, which she called “Torre de Davide,” despite the NHCP’s concerns.

“Ngano’ng pugson man gyud despite NHCP’s reservations? Tungod ba kay hapit na ang eleksyon (Why force it despite the NHCP’s reservations? Is it because the elections are fast approaching)?” she had asked.

The Omnibus Election Code, or Batas Pambansa 881, prohibits the implementation of new public works, release, disbursement and expenditures of public funds within 45 days before Election Day to prevent the use of government funds for poll purposes.

For next year’s midterm elections, the Commission on Elections has already set the election ban from March 29 to May 12.