After more than a decade of delays, Cebu City, DOH finally seal land-swap deal

Local

THE city government of Cebu and the Department of Health-Central Visayas (DOH-7) have officially finalized their long-awaited land-swap agreement, transferring Cauit Island to the City Government in exchange for a two-hectare lot at the South Road Properties (SRP).

The formal Deed of Donation was signed on Monday, December 16, at Cebu City Hall by Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and DOH-7 Director Jaime Bernadas.

The land-swap deal had been under discussion since 2010 but remained unresolved for over a decade. Although the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed years ago, legal and procedural complexities prevented a final agreement until now.

Bernadas explained that Cauit Island had previously been owned and used by the Bureau of Quarantine for handling patients with contagious diseases.

However, the land reclamation project of Cebu City in 2009, which included the island, set the stage for the eventual land exchange.

Despite efforts to finalize the deal in 2013, delays occurred due to a lack of certain procedural updates.

Bernadas clarified that the delay was simply because both parties were waiting for updates and clarifications before the formal agreement could be signed.

Garcia pointed out that the land swap was a necessary and fair resolution, acknowledging that the city reclaimed Cauit Island and its surrounding areas.

He explained that an agreement had been made that the city government would provide land in the SRP as compensation to DOH 7.

While previous administrations had worked towards the deal, Garcia noted that it took longer than expected to finalize.

The two-hectare lot that DOH 7 will receive is located near the Department of General Services office in SRP. Though neither party disclosed the property's current market value, a nearby 2.6-hectare lot in the area was listed for P816 million earlier this year.

The land exchange also supports the relocation of DOH 7’s regional office, which is moving to SRP following a notice to vacate from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

The existing office on Osmeña Boulevard will be cleared for VSMMC’s expansion. Construction of the new regional office is progressing, with one building already housing the operational DOH-7 National Blood Center.

However, the completion of the full regional office is still underway.

Bernadas said that delays in construction funding are linked to the absence of official land ownership documentation for the new property.

Without documented titles, DOH-7 cannot access the necessary funds to finish the office. While the move to SRP remains a priority, no definitive timeline has been set for the department's relocation.(MyTVCebu)