A wealthy Senate bet with businesses in real estate development is offering to buy properties of the provincial government to help raise funds to pay its obligations that is now close to P1 billion.
Senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP)/ Team Pinoy has asked Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale for a list of properties that the Capitol is selling.
Villar said, “we can look at that, but I don’t have the list of the properties. We will see that how we can help.”
Villar was in Camotes Island yesterday with Liberal Party gubernatorial bet Hilario “Junjun” Davide and Acting Governor Magpale who is running for vice governor. Also in the LP sortie in Camotes Island were reelectionist Provincial Board (PB) member Jude Sybico, PB member Miguel Magpale and LP-Bakud’s congressional bet in the 5th district Ace Durano.
Magpale said while she welcomes the idea, she is not yet in a position to say which Capitol property is for sale as the PB will have to give her authority to dispose off any property.
“I cannot just sell a property of the provincial government without the approval of the PB through a resolution,” Magpale said.
Magpale said the Capitol is now coping with its debt by using the P150 million monthly share of the Internal Revenue Allotment from the national government.
Some suppliers she said have been threatening the Capitol with collection cases in court.
Magpale exposed last January that the Capitol owes P900,969,789.48 to about 40 companies and institutions.
She blamed the Capitol’s financial woes to suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who is now running for the congressional seat of Cebu’s 3rd district.
Livelihood
During the LP caravan, Villar observed that there are some agricultural products have great potential for development, like the coconut husk and “kamoteng kahoy” (cassava).
“I will invite Pilar Mayor Jesus Fernandez after election to come to Las Piñas City to see and learn the modern process of making smokeless charcoal from coconut husks that is in demand abroad,” Villar said.
Last week, Villar was seen onstage with One Cebu gubernatorial bet Rep. Pablo John Garcia during the Alayon Party rally in Talisay The Alayon Party, which is affiliated with Villar’s NP is supporting Garcia and Magpale.
A campaign staff of Villar who asked not to be named for lack of authority told Cebu Daily News that the former Las Piñas lawmaker is supporting the full provincial slate of the LP in Cebu.
Villar’s presence in the Gullas family’s Alayon Party rally in Naga City, the source explained was to show support to local NP candidates, like Talisay mayoral bet Eduardo Gullas, the incumbent 1st district lawmaker and Samsam Gullas who is trying to take on his grandfather’s seat in the House of Representative. /Renan Alangilan, Correspondent