[ Manila Bulletin Online ] September 7, 2008
By E. T. SUAREZ
Surviving World War 2 veterans joined yesterday the growing opposition to the plan to sell or relocate the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) and other patrimonial properties to pave the way for the development plan of the government at the East Triangle and North Triangle in Quezon City.
The war veterans who are members of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) headed by Col. Emmanuel V. de Ocampo as president said selling or relocating the VMMC to an area far from Metro Manila will be tantamount to depriving of them of much-needed medical assistance as they are already too old and emaciated to travel.
The plan to sell or relocate VMMC and other patrimonial properties in Quezon City such as the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Office was exposed by Quezon City Rep. Annie Rosa L. Susano in a privilege speech in the House of Representatives.
The much-applauded speech denounced the plan to sell VMCC to what she branded as "greedy delovelopers" planning to build shopping malls and condominiums to realize maximum profits.
"The development plan was proposed by a three-man committee headed by a representative of Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte," said Susano, who has been representing for more than four years now the second district of Quezon City, the country’s biggest legislative district with more than 1.2 million constituents and 520,299 registered voters.
Susano, who is also the chairman of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development, disclosed that a South Korean developer, Yedang Development Corp., has offered to buy the property "through negotiated sale or on cash basis at one time."
"The VMMC is definitely not within the North Triangle area. It is beside and outside of it but the wonder of all wonders, the officials involved in the implementation of the project has included the hospital in the development plan," said Susano, the only living great grandchild of Melchora Aquino, the Tandang Sora of the Philippine Revolution against Spain.
The unfair treatment of Filipino war heroes is deplorable, Susano said.
Several lawmakers supported Susano’s strong opposition to the sale, among them Reps. Rufino Biazon of Muntinlupa City, Roilo Golez of Parañaque, Jose Solis of Sorsogon, Teodoro Locsin Jr. of Makati City, and Trinidad Apostol of Leyte.
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