THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has formally transferred ownership of military facilities it has developed to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The transfer was made following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between BCDA President and CEO Vivencio Dizon and Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana on May 29.
“Today, the BCDA has finally turned over to us the Certificate of Titles of the PAF Golf Course and Operational Areas. This undertaking signifies that the BCDA remains to be our dynamic partner in modernizing military facilities and infrastructure development,” Lorenzana said.
Lauding BCDA for the renewed partnership with the DND, which focuses on modernization of military facilities and infrastructure development, Lorenzana explained that the collaboration with the BCDA gives life to the provisions of a MOA signed by the DND and the PAF with the BCDA back in July 1997.
The MOA covers the swapping of a portion of the Villamor Air Base Golf Course area with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport International Passenger Terminal 3 site.
The agreement was further amended by a 2005 MOA obliging the BCDA to be responsible for the funding and replication or reconstruction of PAF facilities and utilities that were affected by the final delineation of areas in VAB.
According to the BCDA, the PAF Golf Course measures 56.13 hectares, while the PAF Operational Areas cover 47.33-hectares, both amounting to a total of P716,440,855.42.
“It is good to know that our department is not alone in pursuing the goal of having a modernized military. We have stakeholders, like BCDA, who are committed to assist us in sharpening our military edge so we can better perform our mandate of securing our peace and sovereignty,” Lorenzana said.