SANTO DOMINGO. -The real estate assets of the Dominican State that have been counted during the first phase of the first National Census of State Real Estate Assets, amount to 46,737 properties, valued at an amount exceeding 12.4 trillion pesos, whose assets correspond to land and buildings.
The information was provided yesterday by the Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos Echavarría, who specified that the census will allow the correct use of state assets in services and production, to incorporate them in the best way with strategies that can provide benefits to the population.
According to the data revealed by the investigation, in the case of the Legislative Branch, the land and buildings cover 3,236,617.93 m², for a value of RD$100,597,428,564.00. The Judicial Branch has 7,492,709.56 m² of land and buildings, representing a value of RD$35,508,242,165.39.
The constitutional bodies that are extra-powerful or have reinforced autonomy occupy 526,867.36 m², valued at RD$15,456,954,145.67. Likewise, the Executive Branch covers 407,807.14 m² valued at RD$9,383,960,932.00.
The ministries comprise 51,011,020.39 m² of buildings and land, with an economic value of RD$466,506,922,061.58. The councils, commissions, and committees encompass 62,613,982.20 m², with a total economic value of RD$845,529,170,320.87
The functionally decentralized bodies, which are the entity with legal personality, cover 371,753,517.23 m², RD$2,841,420,864,772.03
Likewise, the territorially decentralized agencies of the local government own 41,544,220.68 m², for a figure in pesos of RD$246,405,381,159.55. The provisional records are valued at RD$1,023,750,000,000.00
Decree of the year 2022
At a press conference, alongside the director of National Assets, Rafael A. Burgos Gómez, Santos Echavarría explained that the census was authorized by President Luis Abinader through 414-22, dated August 3, 2022.
For his part, Burgos Gómez emphasized the importance of the census, as it allows the country to know what resources the State possesses and the value of its wealth. He also expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of decentralized and autonomous institutions, such as the Legislative and Judicial branches, the Central Bank and the Supreme Court of Justice, the ministries, municipalities, and directors of State institutions.
He explained that the census consists of four phases, so in the second phase the country's dams and land routes will be counted.
Likewise, the municipal boards and the Central Electoral Board, among others, were thanked, as it was specified that thanks to them and the commissioners who traveled throughout the provinces to carry out the survey, the amount of the national patrimony could be determined.
Other censuses
The Minister of the Presidency reported that later, another more specific survey will be carried out on other properties such as dams, vital hydraulic and electrical infrastructure, mixed institutions with the State, mixed real estate shares, mining assets owned by the State, among others, the official added.
“Since its creation—referring to the National Assets entity—75 years ago, we have never had a figure that allows us to know the value of our national patrimony. This work had never been carried out,” said the director of National Assets.
He recalled that the statistical survey was initiated on the instructions of President Luis Abinader on July 2, 2023, with the goal of providing the government with detailed information on state-owned properties. “That’s why we started getting our house in order,” the official exclaimed.
In that order, he estimated the participation of 700 collaborators in the collection and analysis of information. He also estimated that the investment for this initial work was 140 million pesos.
The National Census was carried out in three phases: gathering information on all state properties, direct visits to the properties identified during the survey, through which technicians confirmed and supplemented the information collected in the first phase, and in the third step an explanatory document of the census results was prepared , with its value estimate.
