By Nanette Guadalquiver/Philippine News Agency
BACOLOD CITY — The provincial government of Negros Occidental continues to facilitate the transfer of its 17 offices occupying the Provincial Administration Center (PAC) to identified temporary sites.
The offices have been directed by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to vacate the PAC, which is situated across the Provincial Capitol in this city, to give way to the private development of the PHP1.7-billion Capitol Commercial Center.
Contractor Dynamic Builders and Construction Company, Inc. will lease a portion of the PAC site from the provincial government for 50 years to build the 10-storey commercial structure.
As of Tuesday, the Provincial Planning and Development Office has already completed the relocation of all its three operational divisions to the roof deck of the Governor’s Conference Hall, said department head Ma. Lina Sanogal.
Acting Provincial Administrator Lucille Gelvolea said the transfer of all the offices to the 13 temporary sites is expected to be completed before the governor steps down on June 30.
“We have to do it, otherwise the provincial government would default in its memorandum of agreement (with the contractor),” she said.
Karen Dinsay, head of the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division, said she expects to complete their transfer to Benjamin Hall, located on 4th-Lacson Street in the first week of June.
In a memorandum, Marañon stated the temporary sites for the affected Capitol offices.
These include the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Veterinary Office and Provincial Human Resource Management Office assigned to transfer to St. Francis Centre on Araneta Street; General Services Office, Reina LKC Building; Provincial Health Office, Provincial Social Welfare Development Office, and Negros Occidental Scholarship Program, Benjamin Hall.
The Provincial Assessor’s Office had been instructed to occupy the Capgem Center; Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Procurement Service Office, LOC Temple Development Corp.; DBM Procurement Service bodega, 426 Holdings Inc.; and Provincial Engineer’s Office to the Philippine National Bank building.
The Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program moved to Negros First Hostel; Information and Communication Technology Division to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Office; Disaster Management Program Division, Panaad Stadium; and Capgem Cooperative to Capgem Center.
These offices are expected to occupy their temporary sites in the next two years while new PAC building is being constructed.
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