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BCDA generates P46 billion; AFP gets lion's share
Author: BCDA Public Affairs
Posted: August 05, 2010 | Category: Investment And Projects
The state-owned Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) has generated a total of P46.495 billion in the past 16 years from the disposition of former Metro Manila camps—the biggest two of which are the former Fort Bonifacio Camp and Villamor Air Base.
Of the P46.495 billion generated by BCDA from the sale, lease and joint venture agreements with private entities from January 1993 to December 2009, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) received the lion’s share at Php17.624 billion or an equivalent of 38 percent of the total disposition proceeds.
Of the P17.624 billion share of the AFP, Php8.128 billion has been allotted to the AFP modernization program. This amount has been remitted by the BCDA to the National Treasury. The AFP is expected to draw from this fund to finance duly approved projects for their modernization program.
The remaining P9.496 billion share of the AFP was spent by the BCDA on the replication of military facilities that were affected by the government’s development projects as requested by the Department of National Defense (DND) and the AFP. These include, among others, the Philippine Army (PA) Officers Quarters, PA Hospital, PA Village in Capas Tarlac, and the PA Clubhouse in Fort Bonifacio just to name a few.
As mandated by law (RA 7917), P6.708 billion or roughly 14 percent of the disposition proceeds went to 14 government beneficiary agencies that continue to implement various social development programs.
This includes the National Shelter Program that finances mass social housing project for the underprivileged and homeless citizens of the country. Other government programs are the National Health Insurance Program; Higher Education Development Fund, otherwise known as the Higher Education Act of 1994 that finances students’ scholarship, faculty development and the improvement of physical plants of colleges and universities under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); science and technology scholarships for young Filipino scientists and students in selected countries through the Department of Science and Technology; the Study Now Pay Later Program for poor but deserving youths who shall enroll or are enrolled in science and technology (S&T); the multi-year program of the prosecution service; the modernization program of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and improvement of prison facilities; the judicial reform program; the establishment of preschool and day-care centers nationwide; the summer program for the education of students (SPES) in accordance with Republic Act No. 7323; the construction of Senior Citizens Centers as provided under Republic Act No. 7876; the emergency and contingent needs of the areas devastated by the Mount Pinatubo eruptions; and infrastructure development of future special economic zones to be created.
BCDA’s share on the disposition proceeds which totaled to P6.850 billion or 15 percent was used to finance the conversion and development of former military baselands and construction of support infrastructure projects in the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ), Poro Point Freeport Zone, John Hay Special Economic Zone, and Bataan Technology Park (BTP). Major projects include the construction of the 93.7-km Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the upgrading of the San Fernando Airport Phase I in Poro Point, La Union, among others.
The rest of the disposition proceeds were allocated to the following: taxes and fees; relocation expenses of the informal occupants and construction of site development/utilities projects; non-military replication expenses; and share of contiguous municipalities.
The BCDA under RA 7227 has been mandated to administer the conversion of former military baselands to civilian productive use.
