The Cebu Provincial Government has launched a thorough document review to determine the legal ownership of the iconic Marcelo Fernan Palace of Justice. This critical step comes after renewed proposals to use the long-damaged facility to house courtrooms, with renovation costs estimated to reach up to P400 million.
Ownership Questions Delay P400 Million Courtroom Project
Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces revealed on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, that funding for the ambitious project remains on hold. The primary obstacle is clarifying the legal status of the building itself. While the land it stands on is owned by the Capitol, the ownership of the structure and the existence of any usufruct agreement are under scrutiny.
"We are looking for the usufruct agreement because while it is true that the property is within the Capitol compound, the issue is the ownership of the building itself," Empaces explained. He confirmed that a complete set of documents has not yet been located, prompting the ongoing archival search.
Structural Soundness and Staggered Renovation Costs
Despite years of abandonment, recent assessments offer a glimmer of hope. An evaluation by an external structural engineer, coordinated with the Office of the Building Official (OBO), found the building to be structurally fit for use.
However, bringing it back to life requires significant investment. Empaces provided a breakdown of the estimated costs:
- Making the Justice Hall partially operational: around P200 million.
- Fully operationalizing the facility: between P300 million and P400 million.
The plan involves demolishing the fourth floor, as the first three floors are deemed sound. The most critical and costly work identified is the complete overhaul of the electrical wiring system to ensure safety and prevent fire hazards.
A Timeline of Damage, Proposals, and Delays
The Palace of Justice's troubles began over a decade ago. On October 15, 2013, a powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Cebu and Bohol, severely damaging the building during the term of then-Governor Hilario Davide III.
The OBO swiftly declared it unsafe for occupancy, citing collapsed corbels, unstable walls, termite damage, and major cracks. Court operations were displaced to temporary venues, eventually moving to a rented space at the Quimonda IT Center in 2014.
Subsequent efforts to address the building's fate saw mixed results:
- In 2014, the province asked President Benigno Aquino III for funds to build a new hall of justice.
- In 2020, then-Governor Gwendolyn Garcia proposed demolition due to safety concerns but received no response from the Supreme Court.
- In 2022, Garcia expressed optimism after a Supreme Court justice committed to endorsing the demolition request.
The current push for rehabilitation was reignited when judges expressed a strong desire to return courtrooms to the iconic structure. The Capitol is now hopeful that once ownership is firmly established and the building is legally recognized as provincial property, funds can be allocated for its phased restoration and return to useful service for Cebu's judiciary.
