Duterte orders development of Mile Long property

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers a speech during the 69th founding anniversary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City on January 29, 2020. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the development of two-hectare Mile Long property in Makati City to enable the government to generate more revenues for priority programs.

In Administrative Order 21 signed on January 29, the President directed the Privatization and Management Office (PMO), on behalf of the national government, to enter into an appropriate contractual deal with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) for the management and redevelopment of the Mile Long property prior to its eventual disposition.

“The implementation of this provision may be charged against appropriate funding sources or undertaken through the various modes of public-private partnership allowed by law,” the order read.

“The contractual arrangement between PMO and BCDA shall involve the parcels of land covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) Nos. (458365) S-77242 issued by the Registry of Deeds of the City of Makati and shall not extend beyond the boundaries defined in the technical description therein,” it added.

Duterte sought the contractual agreement, as he acknowledged that the PMO has been able to “effectively” manage and preserve the Mile Long, while the BCDA has been “highly” successful in developing booming economic hubs.

AO 21 tasks the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to study, propose and take appropriate measures so that the proceeds from the development of the Mile Long property will be used to fund the government’s priority programs, including the pension program of military and uniformed personnel.

However, Duterte’s AO notes that the use of proceeds is still “subject to the budgetary process and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

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The national government took over the management of the Mile Long from Sunvar Realty Development Corp. in August 2017.

In August last year, the Department of Finance (DOF) reported that the Mile Long property in Makati City has generated PHP160 million in revenues for the government since 2017.

AO 21 also creates a technical working group that will study and formulate a redevelopment and privatization plan for the Mile Long property.

The technical working group will be composed of representatives from the PMO, BCDA, DBM, DOF, and Bureau of the Treasury.

“If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect,” the AO said.

“All orders, rules, and regulations inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly,” it added.

AO 21, which was made public by Malacañang on Thursday, takes effect immediately.