UP is Clark Green City’s first locator -- BCDA CL seen to be the next “Brain Capital” of PHL

Central Luzon is set to become the country’s “Brain Capital” with the recent signing (May 19, 2014) of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the University of the Philippines (UP) that would establish a global campus for the premier state university in Clark Green City.

BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Arnel Casanova and UP President Alfredo Pascual signed the MOU in simple rites held at the UP’s Executive House in Diliman, Quezon City.

Casanova said that UP, being the first locator in the country’s soon-to-be most modern, sustainable, hi-tech and globally connected city, has now branded Clark Green City as the knowledge and innovation capital of the country.

He said the UP global campus will serve as a training ground for a generation that will position the Clark Green City as a symbol of innovation—further detailed by its capability of uplifting the quality of life of every human being that will live and work there in the Clark Green City.

“The UP global campus in Clark Green City will position the Philippines as the nation of global citizens—being an English speaking nation in a country hosting a hub for global education and knowledge center. It will also promote the Clark Freeport Zone and soon, the Clark Green City, as an intellectual hub for science and technology education and research,” Casanova said.

BCDA is also inviting the top global educational institutions to establish their Asia-Pacific centers in the Clark Green City. “We expect Ivy-league schools and top European schools to express interest to locate,” Casanova said.

He noted that the new UP global campus will be the melting pot of new technologies, innovation, and creative industries.

Casanova said the UP global campus in Clark Green City will not only produce the country’s best graduates, it will also be the source for the Clark Green City’s excellent human resource. “The presence of a modern UP Global Campus will complement and drive the economic and human development of Clark Green City,” he said.

He pointed out that Central Luzon has 12 million people and will need a new campus for UP to provide them affordable but quality education. “It is about time that we address the growing population in Central Luzon in terms of providing the best education that the country could offer,” he added.

Casanova noted that the establishment of a UP global campus in Clark Green City is consistent with the Phase I development of Clark Green City.

Under the MOU, UP has plans of expanding its academic programs on science, technology and the arts in Central Luzon in the next five (5) years.

 

BCDA shall provide an area within the Institutional Area of the Clark Green City for the establishment of a UP Campus in the city.

UP, on the other hand, shall spearhead the promotion and development of science and technology education and research, consistent with the university’s mandate and the Clark Green City’s overall plan of being the most modern, smart and green metropolis in the Philippines.

Both the BCDA and UP will work toward the internationalization of UP’s academic and research programs for its campus in Clark Green City by linking with international institutions and organizations.

BCDA bids out SCTEX service areas

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) announced  that it is bidding out two service areas along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) that is expected to enhance the convenience  of motorists plying the 94-kilometer toll road.

BCDA President Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the BCDA is now inviting interested bidders to bid for the long-term lease and development of two separate lots along the SCTEX that will be  developed as service areas.

“We are looking for partners to develop the lots into service areas for the benefit of  the motorists plying the SCTEX,” Casanova said.

Casanova said the prescribed facilities and amenities of a service area would include gasoline station, rest rooms, sufficient and adequate parking slots, emergency First Aid station, potable water and lighting system, emergency vehicle repair shop and convenience stores.
He said that each of the  two service areas namely  the  Concepcion Service Area  and the  Macangcung Service Area consist of   two hectares. The lots are located in Brgy. Santiago, Concepcion, Tarlac. The  Concepcion Service Area is located at the Clark-bound/south-bound direction of the  Clark-Tarlac segment while the Macangcung Service Area is located at the  Clark-bound/north-bound direction of the  Clark-Tarlac segment.

Casanova said interested bidders could opt to bid for both lots or just one.

According to Casanova, the lease term for each lot shall be twenty-five years, renewable for another 25 years upon mutual agreement of the BCDA and the winning bidder.

For her part, BCDA chairperson of the Asset Disposition Program Committee Nena D. Radoc said  the minimum acceptable starting annual Fixed Lease for each service area would be
Two Million Two Hundred Forty Thousand Pesos, VAT-inclusive, effective on the second year of lease and subject to an annual escalation of five percent.

She said that upon contract signing, the winning bidder should pay BCDA the Fixed Lease for the three years covering years 2 to 4 of the lease term.
Radoc added that  starting on the fifth year of lease, the lease amount shall be the higher of either the fixed lease, as adjusted based on five percent  escalation rate per annum, or share in the revenues of the Lessee from its operations and sub-lessees’ revenues, equivalent to 2.5% of net sales plus 0.15% share of net sales of petroleum products and lubricants.

She said interested bidders could purchase the Terms of Reference (TOR) for a non-refundable fee of Fifty Thousand Pesos payable to BCDA in manager’s check from  08 to 19 August 2013 at the BCDA Corporate Center, 2^nd Floor Bonifacio Technology Center, 31^st Street, Crescent Park West, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. The TOR may also be viewed in the BCDA website at www.bcda.gov.ph.

She added that a Pre-Bid Conference, in which the property, TOR, and inquiries from interested bidders would be held on 20 August 2013, 10:00 a.m. at the BCDA Corporate Center.

NEDA approves BCDA’s Clark Green City project

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board Committee on Infrastructure (Infracom) has given its seal of approval for the development of some 36,000 hectares in the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone into a new city half the size of Metro Manila.

BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the NEDA Infracom, chaired by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General Arsenio Balisacan, has agreed to endorse the Clark Green City Master Development Plan to President Benigno S. Aquino III for final approval.

“We are very pleased that NEDA Infracom has approved our plans for Clark Green City, and hope that President Aquino will approve the project. This [project] promises to be one of the most important destinations not just in Central Luzon, but the country as a whole, for local and international residents, locators and investors,” Casanova added.

He said once President Aquino approves the Clark Green City Master Development Plan, BCDA can start the disposition and development of the property by next year.

Casanova added the development of the Clark Green City is expected to contribute in attracting investments, generating more jobs, boosting the economy and sustaining inclusive growth.

“Once at full development, Clark Green City would generate approximately P1.57 trillion per year to the economy of the country,” Casanova said. He added that jobs that will be generated will reach 925,000 jobs.

He said by developing the area which is at the moment idle land, BCDA would be able to unlock the value of the land that will benefit not only people in Central Luzon but in the rest of the country as well. He added that development of Clark Green City will generate inclusive growth because Clark Green City will provide opportunities for everyone.

Casanova noted at the heart of the 36,000-hectare property is a 9,450-hectare metropolis. “We will start by developing 1,321 hectares for the first phase,” he said

According to Casanova an approximate P59 billion will be used for the first five years of development. He clarified that the bulk of the development cost will be shouldered by the private sector since the mode of development will be through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).

Casanova said Clark Green City is the first project of this magnitude that will be undertaken in the history of the country. “Not only are we building a new city, we are building the most modern city in the entire country,” he said.

He added that Clark Green City will also play a major role in decongesting Metro Manila not to mention sustain the country’s economic growth.

Casanova noted that Clark Green City will completely revolutionize the way people live, work and interact. “It will be a place where one’s home, place of work, and places of recreation are within walking or biking distances from each other. It will be a place where everyone is connected by both culture and technology. And with sustainability as number one priority in building the city, it is truly designed with future generations in mind,” Casanova said.

Casanova also said that the project will also serve as a showcase of what the country can offer in terms of urban planning and sustainable development.

“With the trend in building sustainable and modern cities in major countries across the world, through Clark Green City, we will be able to show our neighbors that the Philippines can likewise make a huge step in modern, sustainable development,” he said.

CJHDevCo lawyer indicted for perjury

The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged the lawyer and spokesperson of the Sobrepeña-led Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo) of perjury before the Municipal Trial Court of Quezon City for knowingly making false accusations against the Directors of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a resolution penned by Prosecution Attorney Gail Stephanie C. Maderazo and approved by Prosecutor General Claro A. Arellano, the prosecutors found probably cause to charge CJHDevCo Vice President for Litigation Manuel Ubarra, Jr. with the crime of perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code.

The revised penal code penalized the act of knowingly making untruthful statements under oath or in an affidavit as perjury.

It would be recalled that Ubarra filed a complaint-affidavit before the Office of the Ombudsman against the members of the BCDA Board of Directors for misconduct and neglect of duty. The complaint accused BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova of failing to act promptly on letters and requests from CJHDevCo, in violation of Section 5 of RA No. 6713 or the Code of Ethical Standards.

The 16-page DOJ resolution stated that “…respondent Ubarra did not tell the truth.”
The DOJ found that the CJHDevCo letters which were alleged by Ubarra to be either belatedly answered or ignored were not addressed to Casanova. The correspondences were, in fact, made before Casanova assumed office as BCDA President.

According to the resolution, Ubarra’s insistence on Casanova’s liability for failing to answer CJHDevCo’s letters “despite having copies of the letters allegedly sent/ignored” by Casanova where it is reflected that the signatory in fact was that of the former BCDA President and CEO Gen. Narciso Abaya undoubtedly proves that “Ubarra knowingly and deliberately knew that his statements in his Complaint-Affidavit were false.”

The resolution emphasized that Ubarra had been a lawyer for more than fifteen years and is the Vice President for Litigation when he executed and filed the subject Complaint-Affidavit. “He was mandated to study, verify and authenticate all documents and pleadings submitted to him for his company,” the resolution read.

“Most of all, respondent Ubarra is a lawyer. It needs no reiteration that the ethical standards applicable to a member of the bar, who thereby automatically becomes a court officer, must necessarily be one higher than that of the market place,” it further stated.

“We laud the action of the DOJ on finding probable cause of perjury against Atty. Ubarra. It is a victory of truth against falsehood,” Casanova said.

He added that “BCDA is confident in its cause that is founded on the truth and commitment to uphold the interest of the country.”

The BCDA views the filing of various complaints by CJHDevCo against the BCDA Board of Directors as an act of harassment that is obviously intended to derail the BCDA’s efforts in holding CJHDevco accountable for its acts and omissions.

The real issue is CJHDevco’s failure and refusal to pay rentals to the Government for their use of Camp John Hay. The rentals, which already amount to more than P3 Billion, are supposed to be turned over to the National Government and the local government of Baguio City for use in development. The local government of Baguio City stands to get 25 percent of the P3 Billion or some P720-M.

Sobrepeña’s libel case against BCDA dismissed

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the libel case filed by William Russell L. Sobrepeña, older brother of Camp John Hay Development Corporation’s (CJHDevCo) Chairman and CEO Robert John Sobrepeña against officials of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) for lack of probable cause.

The libel charge stemmed from a notice published by the BCDA in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last April 2012, stating that CJHDevCo owed the government P3 billion. The notice also stated that the BCDA had filed an estafa case against CJHDevCo because the latter, as supposed partial payment of the debt, paid the state agency property which it had already sold to another party.

The resolution penned by Associate Provincial Prosecutor Christian Gregorio O. Follosco and approved by Provincial Prosecutor Danilo C. Bumacod of La Union state that “In the beset articles, it is effortless to decipher that the publication is a progeny of the lease agreement entered into by BCDA and CJHDevCo over a portion of lot at Camp John Hay.”

The resolution further  read that “Ensuing CJHDevCo fell short of its undertaking even at the gateway of the agreement.  Despite refinement of the provisions of the agreement, the restructuring of its obligations, and the enactment of laws that favoured CJHDevCo causing BCDA backpedalling, still, the former reneged from its contractual duties.”

The prosecutors agreed that “It is because of that invariable failure of CJHDevCo, the discovery of violations on the agreement earlier committed, and the breach unearthed by HLURB that BCDA appears to have acted, under its legislative charter, to report and inform the public of the circumstances transpiring over a property which it is bound to manage and prosper…”

‘No evidence’
In his complaint, William Sobrepeña alleged that the notice “impute various crimes against the whole Sobrepeña family,” prompting him to file the libel case.

But in its six-page resolution, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor declared that the complainant was not in a position to file a libel case, considering that “the alleged libelous articles, while referring to ‘Sobrepeña-group’ or ‘Sobrepeña-led,’ does not readily ascribe to complainant as the person who was being referred to in the articles.”

The resolution also stated that “Robert John [Sobrepeña] is the appropriate person who should retort to the articles. Interestingly, no evidence was even presented to illustrate that the barrage against Robert John were purely baseless and unfounded.”

BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova, one of the respondents in the libel case filed by Sobrepena, hailed the dismissal of the case. “This is another legal and moral victory for the BCDA. The law has prevailed yet again, and we hail the prosecutor’s office for the dismissal of these clearly trumped-up charges,” he said.

It would be recalled that a similar libel complaint  was also filed in Baguio City by the Sobrepena-led CJHDevCo and was dismissed by the Acting City Prosecutor of Baguio City last year.

The BCDA views the filing of various libel complaints by  CJHDevco against the BCDA Board of Directors as an act of harassment that is obviously intended to derail the BCDA’s efforts in holding CJHDevco accountable for its acts and omissions.  

The real issue is CJHDevco’s failure and refusal to pay rentals to the Government for their use of Camp John Hay.  The rentals, which already amount to more than P3 Billion, are supposed to be turned over to the National Government and the local government of Baguio City for use in development. The  local government of Baguio City stands to get 25 percent  of the P3 Billion or some P720-M.

‘Sign of desperation’

Casanova also called the libel case a “futile attempt by Robert John Sobrepeña to delay the wheels of justice,” adding that CJHDevCo and its chief had previously filed two similar libel cases against the BCDA, one of which has already been dismissed.

“It is a pity that Mr. Sobrepeña has resorted to asking his older brother to file yet another libel case against the BCDA. It is a clear sign of desperation. He is no doubt aware that the law is very close to catching up with him,” Casanova said.

“But even with this latest victory, the BCDA will not rest until Sobrepeña and his cohorts pay their debts to the government. It is just a matter of time before they are convicted of their crimes,” he added.

On April 1, 2013, the Department of Justice filed malversation charges against Robert Sobrepeña and three other officials of CJHDevCo for refusing to return government-owned Camp John Hay Manor and Suites units while continuing to earn from them. Robert John Sobrepena was arraigned last June 29, 2013 before the Regional Trial Court Branch 6 of Baguio City presided by Judge Cecilia Corazon S. Dulay-Archog.

PTT bags contract to develop SCTEX Service Area

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it has awarded to PTT Philippines Corporation (PTT) the contract for the long-term lease and development of the SCTEX Macangcung Service Area.

“We welcome PTT Philippines Corporation and expect them to accord the motorists plying the north bound section of SCTEX with better service as soon as the SCTEX Macangcung Service Area is operational,” Casanova said.

He said development of the SCTEX Macangcung Service Area involves the establishment, operation and maintenance of a gasoline station with amenities. The amenities of the service area would include, among others, rest rooms, sufficient and adequate parking slots, emergency First Aid station, potable water and lighting system, emergency vehicle repair shop and convenience stores.

For her part, BCDA chairperson of the Asset Disposition Program Committee Atty. Nena D. Radoc said that PTT’s winning bid for the annual fixed lease starting on the fifth year amounted to Four Million One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P4,100,000.00) inclusive of 12 percent VAT, and subject to a five percent annual escalation.

Radoc said after careful examination of PTT’s submitted documents and statements, PTT was declared as the bidder with the highest ranked and complying bid.

She said that the lease period for SCTEX Macangcung Service Area is 25 years and renewable for another twenty-five years.

The SCTEX Macangcung Service Area lot is located in Brgy. Santiago, Concepcion, Tarlac and at the Clark-bound/north-bound direction of the Clark-Tarlac segment.

Search is on for firm to develop Bataan Technology Park, says BCDA

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is looking for a partner to develop 200 hectares of the 365-hecatare Bataan Technology Park (BTP) in Morong Bataan.

“We will be inviting real estate firms and other related development companies to submit their development plan for the area as part of the search for a partner that will develop a sizeable portion of the Bataan Technology Park,” BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova.

According to Casanova, the BTP is a Special Economic Zone property. This allows developers and locators in the area to enjoy investment incentives such as a five percent (5%) levy on Gross Income Earned (GIE) in lieu of all national and local taxes and duties; and, tax and duty-free importation of raw materials and capital equipment.

For his part, BCDA Manager for Business Development Arrey Perez said among the development proposals that prospective proponents may consider to submit include, a retirement haven, location for small and medium scale industries and as a research and development center, just to name a few.
He said the BCDA will publish an invitation to submit expression of interest for the development of the said area in the next couple of days.

The 365-hectare BTP is also of great historical significance as it showcases preserved history as the former Philippine Refugee Processing Center (PRPC)—established by the United Nations for Indo-Chinese refugees in the early 1980s.

BTP is within the Manila-Clark-Subic economic triad via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and is just a 20-minute drive from Subic and 2-kilometers away from Anvaya Cove.