Mayor Felipe Antonio B. Remollo and Sister Cicily Jacob of the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca signed the Deed of Absolute Sale and the Memorandum of Agreement Wednesday, that formalized the acquisition of the Catherina Cittadini Campus in Barangay Calindagan, which will be used as the new home of the City Central Elementary School and Calindagan Elementary School.
The Cittadini property includes 1.8 hectares of land and more than a dozen buildings, a gymnasium, laboratories, cafeteria, chapel, a road network with adequate parking space, playground, dormitory, grotto and other structures.
Councilor Agustin Miguel Perdices, chair of the City Council’s Finance Committee, told the MetroPost that the Cittadini property specifically was not indicated in the Original Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for 2024 but it is now part of the AIP by virtue of some amendments.
“The payment for the money to purchase the school came from the initial funding of P50M for the “Purchase of Property” in the City’s Annual Investment Plan.
“The City Council also approved the request of the City Development Council Executive Committee to amend the Annual Investment Plan to infuse an additional P70M to this account to cover the first two payments for Cittadini,” Perdices continued.
He said another amendment to be current AIP will be coming at the end of the year to infuse another 30M for the 3rd payment. The final payment of 75M will be incorporated in the 2025 AIP.
Mayor Remollo stressed that the main purpose in acquiring the properties in the total amount of P 175 million payable under the agreed payment schedule is to establish a new home for the students and teachers of City Central Elementary School (CCES) and Calindagan Elementary School (CALES) with better facilities and safer campus conducive to learning and sports development.
Sister Jacob said that they chose to accept the LGU’s terms in purchasing the Cittadini property as “they trust Mayor Remollo to continue the legacy and mission of educating the young,” hence, they refused the other offers presented to them.
The signing of the documents of the sale of the Cittadini property was witnessed by a delegation from the City Schools Division Deped Dumaguete led by Superintendent Marina S. Salamanca, Dr. Juditha Mapue, Mr. Jose Miraflor Jr. and the principals of the recipient schools.
On the part of the City Government those present include Vice-Mayor Ma. Isabel Sagarbarria, Councilors Karissa Tolentino-Maxino, Maria Marife Cordova, Agustin Miguel Perdices, Jose A. Baldado, Rey Lyndon Lawas, Antonio J. Remollo, Jose Victor Imbo and SK President Miguel Aseniero with City Administrator Lilani Ramon, Atty. Dio Remollo, Chief Political Affairs Officer of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Assistant City Administrator Dr. Dinno T. Depositario and other department heads.
The turnover of the symbolic key of the Cittadini campus from the Ursuline sisters to LGU officials and to the Principals capped the afternoon rites.
The parents and teachers of CALES and CCES, particularly Principals Gemma Cherrypie A. Teves and Brona M. Dolar and her Assistant Principal Rima D. Erames expressed profound gratitude to Mayor Remollo and the City Council for the acquisition of the Cittadini property considering that their classroom buildings are deteriorating and in need of urgent repairs. (PR)
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Photo Caption: Mayor Felipe Antonio B. Remollo and Sister Cicily Jacob of the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca, flanked by members of the Sangguniaing Panglundod of Dumaguete led by Vice Mayor Maisa Sagarbarria and officials of the Department of Education, announce the signing of the Deed of Absolute Sale and the Memorandum of Agreement Wednesday, for the acquisition of the Catherina Cittadini Campus in Barangay Calindagan, which will be used as the new home of the City Central Elementary School and Calindagan Elementary School. (photo by Wenzel Rendal)