Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said today, February 5, that he most likely will agree to a P57 million settlement with the firm managing the Negros First CyberCentre of the provincial government in Bacolod City to end their joint venture agreement (JVA).
The Negros Property Management and Development Corp. (NPMDC) is asking for the P57 million for it to walk away from its JVA with the Negros Occidental provincial government, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Thursday, February 4.
Lacson said he is willing to give the P57 million so the provincial government can take over the management of the Negros First CyberCentre by March, which will enable it to earn far more than what the NPMDC has been paying it annually.
This, however, will be subject to the approval of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan, he said.
The P57 million NPMDC is asking for is already owned by the joint venture and will not come from the coffers of the provincial government, Lacson said.
If the provincial government can start collecting the P5 million rent of the Negros First CyberCetre tenants starting March it will earn P50 million this year, plus P11 million in collectibles, he said.
This will be far more than the P14 to P15 million paid to the provincial government annually under the JVA, Lacson said.
We are doing our due diligence and will mostly agree to the request of NPMDC but it must put it in writing, Lacson said.
This is contrary to the earlier statement of Diaz that they are asking the NPMDC to put its demand for P57 million in writing so the provincial government can turn it down in writing.*