Around Town

Mayor irked by UP plan for IT hub

“I will not allow it,” said Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña when told that the burned area in barangay Lahug, where the University of the Philippines is trying to recover land from illegal settlers, is earmarked by the school for a future expanded IT hub.

The mayor said the plan looked redundant since the city government already donated five hectares to UP this year for a similar purpose at the South Road Properties (SRP).

“I am not against an IT hub (per se). It's just that I gave them the land for the same reason,” Osmeña told reporters.

The donation by the Cebu city government was made last March on condition that UP would offer masteral programs in Business Administration (MBA), Computer Science and Information Technology (IT) in the SRP site, and build the facility within three years.

The plan for an expanded IT hub was mentioned by UP lawyer Jesus Isidoro Atoc who earlier told CEBU DAILY NEWS the property occupied by the fire victims in sitio San Jose, barangay Lahug was part of UP's development plan.

He said the plan includes the expansion of UP’s existing Technology Based Incubator (TBI) program with Ayala Corp.

The program began in 2000 and an existing program is in the UPVCC Arts and Science Building.

Atoc yesterday clarified that the IT hub expansion is in line with UP's education system and would not compete or be similar with UP’s plan for the donated lot in SRP. He declined to comment on the mayor’s recent statement.

Atoc said that if informal settlers remain in the UP property in Lahug, this would deprive the university of an opportunity to develop it.

Sen. Mar Roxas, a member of the UP Board of Regents, earlier assured that he would relay the city government’s position to UP President Emerlinda Roman.

Copyright INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.