THE opposition against the sale of the sprawling Xavier University campus here kicked up to a new level when concerned parents and teachers seek the help of the city council to stop the transaction.
Leaders of Concerned Parents, Teachers, Alumni, and Communities (Coptac) told the city council to stop the sale on the grounds that the campus is a historical and heritage site for Cagayan de Oro.
The leaders also reminded the councilors that the sale of four of its eight-hectare main campus along Corrales Avenue here would have “serious” implications on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Cagayan de Oro.
“The campus can not just be sold and converted into a commercial district without the city council revising the Comprehensive Land Use Plan,” retired National Economic Development Authority director and alumni Roan Apalisok-Bacal said.
The Jesuit-run school entered into a partnership with renowned property developer Cebu Landmasters Incorporated, in a deal that could generate P3 billion for Xavier University.
Xavier, however, plans to retain about two hectares of its present campus built right in what is considered the heart of Cagayan de Oro.
If plans don’t miscarry, the project would be carried out in phases beginning in the second quarter of 2022, announced Xavier.
The plan, seen as a move that would literally change the landscape of downtown Cagayan de Oro, started a firestorm in 2019 among teachers, alumni, and old families in the city.
The Father Provincial of the Jesuits and Superior General of the Jesuits in Rome has given the green light for Xavier University to proceed with the transaction.
Mayor Oscar Moreno has hailed the plan, saying it would “redefine” Cagayan de Oro.
Bacal said Moreno should be “gently reminded” that any proposed change of the land use of the existing university campus from “Institutional to Commercial/Residential” would need an amendment of the city government’s land use program and zoning ordinance.
She said the city government had approved the Lunhaw Urban Design Adaptation project that would transform Cagayan de Oro riverside up to Corrales Avenue where the main campus is located, into a Divisoria Heritage park.
Lawyer Eddie Cuaresma, also of Coptac, said a team from the National Historical Institute would be arriving after the May 2022 elections to evaluate the campus buildings that are more than 50 years old.
“The entire Xavier University main campus is a heritage campus. It should be preserved for the generations to come,” Cuaresma said.
