The Negros Occidental provincial government is revoking its donation of the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City to the Department of Education and will take legal action within 15 days from notice if the DepEd officials fail to respond, Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Gov. Joseph Marañon said yesterday.

The decision of Gov. Joseph Marañon has the support of the six congressmen of Negros Occidental, four of whom have already signed a joint resolution for the recovery of the Paglaum Sports Complex to prevent it from reportedly being ran by a private foundation, Valencia said.

The governor is writing to Education Undersecretary Ramon Bacani informing the DepEd that the provincial government is rescinding the deed of donation and asking them to return the property within 15 days, Valencia said.

The joint resolution for the recovery of the Paglaum Sports Complex was signed by Negros Occidental Representatives Tranquilino Carmona (first district), Alfredo Marañon III (second district), Jose Carlos Lacson (third district) and Carlos Cojuangco (fourth district).

Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (fifth district) who is out of the country, and Rep. Genaro Rafael Alvarez (sixth district) have not signed the joint resolution yet, but have already committed to support it, Valencia added.

The joint resolution of the solons said that on June 27, 1996 the Negros Occidental provincial government ceded in favor of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, now DepEd, lots located at Henares-Araneta streets in Bacolod City that are the sites of the Negros Occidental High School and the Paglaum Sports Complex.

The deed of donation provided that the lots be exclusively used for educational and sports development purposes, and that income earned from use of such will be exclusively used for the repair, maintenance and improvement of NOHS and the Paglaum Sports Complex, the joint resolution said.

The solons said DepEd has failed to properly maintain and improve the Paglaum Sports Complex and its facilities in violation of the terms and conditions of the deed of donation.

There are also reports regarding the transfer of ownership, management and operation of the Paglaum Sports Complex to a private foundation and, if true, this is contrary to the spirit and intent of the deed of donation, their joint resolution said.

The solons, in their resolution, strongly urged the province of Negros Occidental to take necessary action to prevent the DepEd from transferring the Paglaum Sports Complex to a private foundation.

The solons also asked the provincial government to partially revoke the deed of donation in order to recover ownership, management and operation of the Paglaum Sports Complex from the DepEd, and to improve the facilities in line with the sports development program of Negros Occidental.

Valencia said the move of the Capitol also has the support of the NOHS alumni, teachers and student body.

MANAGEMENT BOARD

In January Bacani held meetings in Bacolod City on the management of the Paglaum Sports Complex after improvements were made during the Southeast Asian Games late last year.

Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella had said about P30 million, P12 million of which went to lighting needs, had been spent on the improvement of the sports complex before the SEA Games.

At the meeting the NOHS administration, NOHS Alumni Association Inc., PTA and Supreme Student Government submitted a resolution stating that the management board of the Paglaum Sports Complex should be composed only by representatives of government offices or groups that have original stakes and vital interest in the welfare of DepEd/NOHS and the sports program of the province.

Puentevella, at the time, said he proposed that the board be composed of the NOHS principal representing the DepEd, a representative of the office of the Bacolod congressman, the Bacolod mayor, the alumni and the Negros Occidental Sports and Cultural Foundation.

Presidential Adviser for Western Visayas Rafael Coscolluela yesterday said he is the chairman of the NOCSF but has been inactive and was not informed about any proposal to include a representative of the foundation on a Paglaum management board.

He said he had nothing to do with such proposal, and it was not discussed with him.

Valencia yesterday said the NOHS was under the Negros Occidental schools division and not under the Bacolod City division so those from the city should not interfere in how it is being run.

Any attempt by the DepEd to transfer the ownership, management or the administration of the Pagalum Sports Complex to a private entity will be strongly opposed by the province, he said.

"We were informed that there are people lobbying, who are using whatever influence they have, to get what they want," Valencia said.

NO PROBLEM

Puentevella, when informed of the move of the provincial government to reacquire the Paglaum Sports Complex, said he "has no problem with that as long as the province will maintain it well. Maybe this is the solution we have been looking for.

"The present management plan being proposed by the DepEd is for the Philippine Sports Commission to take over, but if the province has all the resources to improve it, then that may be a good move," Puentevella said.

He said the city was willing to help out with the NOHS Alumni too but if the province wants it back, why not. "All the other talks were exploratory and even misinformation," he said.*CPG

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