SUBIC BAY

Gone to Waste: SBMA deplores state of abandoned Manila Times school
Aug 04, 2018

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Subic Bay Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma on Friday deplored the miserable condition of the former George Dewey High School GDHS) here, which has been left to waste after 14 years of neglect by its supposed developer.

Eisma described the state of the former GDHS as “heart-breaking” after the SBMA repossessed the 2.5-hectare complex on Friday, Aug. 3, following refusal by the court to approve an application for preliminary injunction filed by The Manila Times School of Journalism, Inc. (TMTSJI).

“Imagine what happened to these government properties—roofs have caved in, doors missing, walls vandalized, the gym flooded, and the grounds have virtually returned to the forest. And all the while, some schools here in Subic share one campus because there was no other place to stay, ” Eisma lamented.

“This is unconscionable neglect by a company who has pledged millions and millions of pesos to develop and maintain the property and then left it to ruin. It’s truly heart-breaking,” she added.

The SBMA took over on Friday two facilities leased out to Manila Times companies: the George Dewey Complex at the Subic Gateway area, which was leased out to TMTSJI; and the Cubi Hospital Complex, which was rented out to The Manila Times College of Subic, Inc. (TMTCSI), formerly the George Dewey Medical College, Inc. (GDMCI).

The first complex consisted of several buildings that used to house the George Dewey High School, which served US Navy dependents here from 1957 to 1992 when American forces left the Philippines.

The second complex comprised the former U.S. Naval Hospital, a 90-bed facility established in 1956, which was designated as the Navy Regional Medical Center in 1977. The complex today includes school buildings and nine housing units.

According to SBMA Legal Department manager Michael Quintos, the TMTSJI owed the Subic agency a total of P60.28 million in overdue rentals and service fees as of July 4, 2018. It also failed to develop the leased property in accordance with the proposed development plan.

He said the SBMA issued a final notice of default to TMTSJI on March 23 this year, urging the same to cure its contractual defaults within 30 days. However, the company did not comply, leading the SBMA Board of Directors to resolve to pre-terminate its lease agreement.

On the other hand, the TMTCSI had outstanding accounts amounting to US$543,552.10 and P21.04 million as of July 31, 2018. These represented the firm’s unpaid assignment share with the GDMCI, as well as unpaid labor fees, medical fees, lease rentals, and service fees.

Similarly the SBMA sent it a final notice of default with a 30-day curing period on March 23, 2018, but the firm did not meet with the agency’s demand, Quintos added.

In both cases , the Manila Times companies sought court remedy for a writ of preliminary injunction, averring that they should be protected from SBMA’s termination of lease agreement and re-possessing the leased properties.

However, Quintos said that in both instances Judge Raymond C. Viray of Regional Trial Court Branch 75 in Olongapo City ruled out the issuance of an injunction, noting that the court was not satisfied that there was “a clear and unmistakable right to the injunctive writ.”

In taking over the facilities last Friday, Chairman Eisma stressed that while the SBMA was technically taking over the facilities at the Cubi Hospital Complex, it would still allow Manila Times to operate its school for one year.

“This is in consideration of the students who have already enrolled for this school year,” Eisma said.

She added that the takeover is in line with President Duterte’s thrust on good governance and her administration’s program to run after delinquent locators in the Freeport and to maximize the use of government assets for productive activities.

She said that in the past two weeks, the SBMA also repossessed facilities leased out to the Subic Bay Apparel Corp., which had an outstanding account of P218,253.75; and Jemeryk Portal system Integration, Inc., which owed the SBMA US$441,834 and P1.95 million in unpaid rentals and service fees.

News 2018