THE Armed Forces has received from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) 15 facilities the latter built inside Camp Aquino in Tarlac City for the use of the Army Support Command (ASCOM).
BCDA officer-in-charge and chief executive officer Aristotle Batuhan handed over the modern facilities to the ASCOM, headed by Maj. Gen. Glenn Cruz, during rites last Monday.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, AFP chief Gen. Andres Centino, Army chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr and Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Ernesto Torres Jr were among the defense and military officials who graced the event.
Lorenzana thanked the BCDA for the “smooth transfer” of the facilities inside a 29.8-hectare property in Camp Aquino.
The BCDA’s construction of the ASCOM facilities was part of a 2017 deal with the defense and military establishments that allowed BCDA to develop an 11.5-hectare port of the Bonifacio South Pointe in Fort Bonifacio to generate funds for the ongoing AFP modernization program.
Under the agreement, BCDA will replicate all the facilities of ASCOM, which is among the Army units occupying the 11.5-hectare property in Fort Bonifacio due for development, in Camp Aquino which will be its new home.
BCDA still needs to construct 29 other facilities to complete the replication of the facilities that ASCOM will vacate in Fort Bonifacio. These 29 facilities are due to be completed in August this year.
“This transfer to a bigger area than it has at Fort Bonifacio provides it a better logistics storage and management hub. Most notable of the 14 structures are huge storage buildings. The facilities also include offices, barracks, a gymnasium, gardens, and spacious parking lots,” said Lorenzana.
The BCDA said the facilities that were turned over included the Service Support Training Center headquarters, classrooms, a mess hall, and quarters for ASCOM personnel.
“ASCOM’s transfer to its new home here in Camp Aquino and the replication here of its existing facilities from Fort Bonifacio signify a fusion of the new and the old,” said Lorenzana.
The Army said larger headquarters and better facilities for ASCOM means “better logistics, storage and management.” ASCOM is charge of providing firepower, transportation, and maintenance of equipment of major Army units.
BCDA turned over the 15 facilities ahead of the celebration of its 30th foundation anniversary on March 13.
