The Quezon City Council has issued a strong denunciation against the Rotary Center Foundation, Inc. (RCFI) for falsely claiming the Council directed Mayor Ma. Josefina “Joy” Belmonte to enter into a lease agreement for a publicly-owned property, as the city government shuts down unauthorized commercial operations on the site.
In an official statement shared by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, the Council accused RCFI of “unconscionable” misrepresentation for stating that Mayor Belmonte refused to renew a lease “contrary to the Council’s directive.” The Council declared this claim “patently false.”
“The subject resolution merely authorized the Honorable Mayor to enter into the proposed agreement should she opt to do so,” the Council clarified. It emphasized that the resolution “does not, and cannot, direct the Honorable Mayor to exercise her discretion in a particular manner.” The Council firmly stated it “has not directed the Honorable Mayor to enter into any lease agreement with RCFI.”
This dispute centers on a property on Roces Avenue, Barangay Paligsahan. The Quezon City Government originally entered into a Lease Contract with Rotary International District 3780 on June 30, 1995, which expired on June 30, 2020.
According to the city government, the two buildings on the land were funded by public money, making them government property. After the lease expired, monitoring revealed that the Rotary Center Foundation, Inc. (RCFI)—a different institution—was occupying and using the buildings without the knowledge or consent of the city.
Furthermore, the city discovered that RCFI entered into various agreements with private commercial establishments to use the buildings for rent, without authorization or approval from the Quezon City Government. The city deemed these unauthorized and illegal activities, as conducting private commercial agreements on public buildings without business permits and regulatory requirements is prohibited.
This led to the enforced closure of these operations.
Both the City Council and the local government administration reaffirmed their united stand. “We stand with the Honorable Mayor in ensuring that public property cannot be used for unlawful purposes. It cannot benefit only the privileged few who seek to profit therefrom,” the Council’s statement read.
The city government reiterated its firm stance: “Patuloy na naninindigan ang Pamahalaang Lungsod sa pangangalaga ng pampublikong ari-arian… Mahigpit na ipapatupad ang batas.” (The City Government continues to stand firm in protecting public property… The law will be strictly enforced.)
The core principle, as stated by both bodies, remains: “Public property belongs to the people of Quezon City.”#
