Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday stood by the local government’s decision to padlock the Rotary Community Center, announcing plans to convert the facility into a public space open to all accredited civic organizations.

To recall, city officials sealed the center along Roces Avenue in Barangay Paligsahan on 26 December, citing the absence of a business permit and the illegal commercial use of public property.

The land, owned by the city, was originally leased to Rotary International District 3780 in 1995 for a symbolic “one peso per year.” However, the local government cited that the lease expired on 30 June 2020.

Since then, officials say the buildings — which were funded by the government — have been occupied without authorization by the Rotary Center Foundation Inc., a separate entity from the original district.