Marcos vetoes BCDA charter amendment bill

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has vetoed a bill that sought to amend the charter of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced Saturday.

Though Marcos recognized Congress’ “noble intention” in crafting the measure, the PCO said that “he could not ignore the concerns raised by the national agencies.”

In his veto message dated April 24, transmitted to both Houses of Congress, Marcos cited the proposed increase of P100 billion in authorized capital, which he said could affect the government's fiscal integrity.

Marcos stated that the plan to use the money from selling the allocated lands in the ecozones mainly for the BCDA goes against the government's one-fund policy as this restricts the ability to use funds for more urgent needs.

“In addition, the bill antithetically grants to the BCDA the authority to determine alienable and disposable lands, which clearly falls under the mandate of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” said the President.

Marcos said the bill’s language granting land ownership and authority to the BCDA in disposing of lands “contradicts Republic versus Heirs of Bernabe, which provides that the state is the beneficial owner of the lands transferred to the BCDA by virtue of Republic Act No. 7227,” according to the PCO. — VBL, GMA Integrated News