The Negros Occidental provincial government will have its 1996 deed of donation of the Paglaum Sport Complex in Bacolod rescinded before the Department of Education can turn over its management to the Philippine Sports Commission, Gov. Joseph Marañon said yesterday.

We will not allow any other private or government entity to takeover the Paglaum Sports Complex, the provincial government can afford to develop and run it itself, he said.

The present management plan being proposed by the DepEd for Paglaum is for the PSC to take over, Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella said Tuesday.

"That is why we are objecting, we will rescind the contract before they do anything," the governor said.

Marañon said the provincial government is taking back the sports complex because the DepEd failed to improve it as required under the deed of donation. Improvements made during the Southeast Asian Games were not done by the DepEd, he said.

Improvements made on the sports complex should be permanent and income generating to help the Negros Occidental High School maintain its campus, he said. He also said Bacolod City government had no right to rename the Paglaum Sports Complex to the Bacolod City Sports Stadium during the SEA Games since it does not belong to it, and the provincial government was not consulted.

"I will not comment on the actions of Congressman Monico, I will only concentrate on our duty to safeguard the properties of the province," he said.

"Besides I have six congressmen backing me if you are talking of one," he told the media.

Marañon said he will ask the six Negros Occidental congressmen to commit to assisting the provincial government in developing the Paglaum Sports Complex.*CPG

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