Capitol to rent out complex built to shelter domestic abuse victims, newly-opened training center

The inauguration of the Cebu Provincial Women and Children Development Center in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City in 2016 led by then Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and then Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale. (Cebu Provincial Government photo)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has not only decided to give up a centerpiece program of the previous administration aiding abused women and children but would now be offering for lease the P14-million center that used to house and provide rehabilitation and counselling to victims of domestic abuse. 

Capitol, through its official site Sugbonews.com, announced it has decided to bid out the Women and Children Development Center (WCDC) facility, a modern shelter built in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City during the term of governor and now Vice Governor Hilario Davide III,  to any interested person or group that will want to lease the property for whatever purpose it might want to use it for.

Aside from the WCDC complex, Capitol will also offer for lease the P16-million Cebu Provincial Skills Training Center building in Barangay Inayagan, Naga City in southern Cebu that was opened only in February this year.

Read more: P16.3-M Capitol skills training center opened in Naga

It was initially reported that the WCDC would be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7), along with another province-run facility, MyHome, a youth care center in Consolacion town.

Read more: Capitol to turnover two centers for CICLs, abused women to DSWD-7 to save P20M

But Garcia later decided that the WCDC, which she described to be like a “private resort with villas and individual toilet and bath,” would be of better use to the province if rented out.

Garcia was quoted by Sugbonews.com as saying that the move would allow the province to generate more revenue by leasing out WCDC.

The P14-million facility, inaugurated in 2016 to cater to women and children who were victims of domestic abuse, is designed to accommodate up to 33 individuals with rooms for legal, medical and psychological services, a chapel, an activity hall, and a livelihood training facility.

The facility has ceased to operate since September after the women housed in the shelter were returned to their respective homes.

During her State of the Province Address (SOPA) last October 12, Garcia announced that Capitol would no longer continue the operations of the WCDC and MyHome in order to save P20 million annually.

MyHome, which was built by a religious nongovernment organization in a DSWD-7-owned property in Barangay Tayud Consolacion, will still be turned over to the care of DSWD-7, which Garcia said is more suited to operate the center.

As to the Cebu Provincial Skills Training Center, Sugbo News reported Garcia as saying that it is not practical for the province to operate a training center since the province’s partner schools now go directly to the barangays to conduct livelihood and other training programs.

“Training centers are not as relevant anymore kay tua na man onsite na man ang mga ginapartner nga schools, moadto sa barangay (because partner schools usually just go onsite to the barangays),” Garcia said./elb