AMID COVID-19 CRISIS

Drilon: 'Dispose' Crame, Aguinaldo to boost gov't funds

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday said the government could squeeze additional funds from military camps in Metro Manila as it tries to keep the economy afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Why does Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame have to be in city centers? That's a huge asset. The land management experts can craft a policy which would make the government realize the maximum revenue by disposing these," Drilon said at a virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

The two camps, which house the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police (PNP), are both located in Quezon City and right across from each other.

"If you look at it objectively hindi naman po kailangan na iyong mga military camp ay nasa city, nasa urban centers... There is no sense in letting these assets not serve to its fullest extent," he added.

He cited the success of converting Taguig's Bonifacio Global City, a former military base, into a commercial hub.

Further, he said the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa could also be disposed to beef up the state coffers.

"We have the most expensive penitentiary in terms of cost per square meter in the entire world," Drilon said.

In April, President Rodrigo Duterte said he is willing to sell government assets to boost the fund for COVID-19 response.

A proposal to auction off military golf courses at Camp Aguinaldo, Villamor Air Base and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center followed and was backed by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Ronald dela Rosa, both former PNP chiefs. -MDM, GMA News