By Fred C. Amora
www.theboholstandard.comNow it can be told!
Bohol’s dream of having its first state university is still a long, long way because of parochial reasons. Local officials continue to find it heavy for them to part away government lands where campuses of the Central Visayas State College of Fisheries and Technology (CVSCAFT) are built on.
The application for CVSCAFT to be converted into a state university, until now, suffers a big flaw since it does not own the land where their campuses are standing, notwithstanding provision in the CVSCAFT Law (RA 8659) Section 18 that says: “All assets, fixed and movable, personnel and records are hereby transferred to the college. All parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the schools being integrated are hereby declared to be the property of CVSCAFT and shall be titled under the name of the college: provided, that should the state college cease to exist or be abolished or should such parcels of land aforementioned be no longer needed by the college, the same shall revert to the Province of Bohol.â€
CVSCAFT has its main campus in Bilar, and also maintains one in the city, in Candijay, Calape, Clarin and Balilihan.
The CVSCAFT law creating Bohol’s only state college was approved in 1999 but until now the provincial government had failed or “continue to refuse†to adhere to that particular provision “ceasing title of lands to the school.â€
A bill authored by first district congressman Edgar M. Chatto is now in the Lower House committee level but still lacks documents to support such application for state university conversion; which includes endorsement/ resolution of support from the provincial and city governments.
In a report of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Joint-Committees on Education and Government Properties, Enterprises and Related Undertakings dated Oct. 25, 2007, it said that “they cannot just disregard the possible consequences they might face in the event they (legislators) gave up the lands.â€
They were one in letting out their apprehension that they might be blamed for their actions later on.
But other reasons in the report revealed “fiscal†concerns that make legislators hold on to these lands and decide to forgo the benefits of quality education from a state university.
Provincial board members had reservations on the land title issue since provincial lots are reportedly tied up/ used as collateral to loans by the provincial government.
Also, in the event the province losses these lands, the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of the province from the national government might be affected and will subsequently reduce its status as a first class LGU.
Observers from the academe noted that local officials worry more in their “loan capability†and “allotment share†than providing a better education, global competitive edge for an incoming generation.
Third district board member Esther Corazon Galbreath chairs the committee on education with second district Josephine Socorro Jumamoy as vice chairperson, and Cesar Tomas Lopez, member.
Second district board member Amalia Tirol, who belongs to the clan that owns the University of Bohol, chairs the committee on Government Properties and Related Undertakings, with lawyer Aster Piollo as vice chair and Alfonso Damalerio II, member.
The two committees, however, said they are supportive of the move for CVSCAFT to become a state university.
The land issue is now being reviewed by the office of Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Handel Lagunay who promised to submit to the joint committee a written opinion as reference when the matter is deliberated in plenary.
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