Aug.

6,2009
San Juan LGU Donates Lot For Sub-provincial Jail Construction
By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Local Govt. of San Juan has donated recently(May
2009) a 250 square meters lot to the provincial government for the latter’s
purpose to construct a P2.5M worth of
sub-provincial jail building.
The official donation of the aforesaid lot was done thru the passing of
resolution no.43-s.-2009 and the enactment of ordinance no.2009-01 whose condition
is in favour of the province of Southern Leyte.
SP Cesar Rey however recalled that several weeks earlier they’ve appropriated
P2.2M for the said project. Nevertheless, SP Jason Calva, the Finance Chair, it
was learned, “has changed the status of the appropriation to P2.5M.” Calva did not
elaborate..
The municipality of San Juan’s strategic location was preferably chosen by the
majority of the SP
members during their previous sessions at the provincial capitol regarding the
plan to build a sub-provincial jail in that place.
SP Teopisto Rojas,Jr.,Chariman Committee on Laws, Ways and Means, who received
both the resolution and ordinance pertaining to the lot donation, clarified to the
august body that the said donation is in usufruct. Meaning that when there’s a
change in the use of the lot, “it will be reverted back to the donor. So it should
be exclusively use for the sole purpose of sub-provincial jail occupancy”, he
stressed.
However, the donee will pay all the expenses relating to the lot transfer,
including the donor’s tax, titling and transfer taxes and “other payments incident
thereto”, Rojas told his colleagues.
Considering that there should also be an official acceptance of the donee,the
Laws, Ways and Means Chair has moved for the passage of a resolution no.234-s.-
2009 “sincerely accepting the lot donation of LGU San Juan”.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan members have also authorized Governor Damian G.
Mercado to sign the Deed of Donation for and in behalf of the provincial
government.
Calva moreover informed the body that the project’s implementation was delayed
due to the lack in meeting the technical requirement.Nonetheless,he was quick to
add that they can now contact the Provincial Services Office head who will notify
the persons concerned to fastrack the implementation of the project. But he did
not specify the exact date when to start the sub-provincial jail’s construction.

Shorter Travel Time

On the other hand, Southern Leyte’s last town of Silago where a police or
warden would accompany a prisoner or two for custody to San Juan would take only
about 2 hours to reach the place. While Silago to Maasin where the provincial jail
is located, would take 4 hours to reach by a non-passenger vehicle.
From Panaon Island’s last town of San Ricardo, it would take less than 2 hours
to reach San Juan by a non-stop car. While San Ricardo to Maasin, it would take
less than 5 hours to reach the place.
The materialization of the project in the near future would make the
“clienteles”(persons with positive criminal charges or those who have committed
criminal acts)in the areas of Pacific towns and Panaon Island’s four
municipalities to have a much shorter travel time than bringing them to the
faraway capital city of Maasin.It will also decongest Maasin’s provincial
jail.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)