KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/24 February) — The city government is s pushing for the full transfer here within the next two years of the main regional base or headquarters of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12.
City Mayor Peter Miguel said Monday the local government has formally tendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office several idle lands in two exterior villages in the city as possible sites for the new regional headquarters of PRO-12 and its service offices.
He said the potential sites, which are all privately-owned or titled lands, are located in Barangays Morales and Paraiso.
The mayor said the offer was based on an earlier request made by PRO-12 and PNP Director General Alan Purisima to facilitate the transfer of its regional headquarters in the city, which is the regional center of Region 12.
“It’s now up to the PNP to select the most ideal site, make the acquisition and implement the transfer,” the mayor said.
Purisima initially approved in principle early last year the transfer of the PRO-12 headquarters from Barangay Tambler in General Santos City to this city following a meeting with city officials.
Miguel said Purisima personally pledged to work out the relocation and sought the local government’s assistance to facilitate the move.
The mayor said the local government has made initial negotiations with the owners of the proposed sites for the regional police headquarters.
But he said the PNP should be the one to pursue talks for the purchase and the local government will just facilitate them.
Miguel said the PRO-12 is a special case since the local government could not offer to them the established regional center in Barangay Carpenter.
“They require a vast area so each of the proposed sites that we identified stretches around 15 hectares,” he said.
Miguel said they expect the PNP central office to make a decision soon regarding the PRO-12’s site and make the acquisition.
He assured the PNP that the local government will provide all the necessary assistance to ensure the smooth transfer of its regional offices to the area.
The city was designated as Region 12’s regional center by virtue of Executive Order (EO) 304 issued in March 2004 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arryo.
EO 304 also sets the immediate transfer of all regional line agencies from Cotabato City, the previous regional center, to Koronadal City.
Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Some 40 regional lines agencies have so far fully transferred their offices while 11 other offices and bureaus have established satellite offices in the area.
The City Planning and Development Office cited in a report that a total of 36 regional line agencies already acquired lots at the regional center site here.
Six of these line agencies have already constructed their office buildings and fully transferred to the area, one is presently under the construction phase while the others are still in the process of signing a memorandum of agreement with the city government. (MindaNews)