MOA for 93-1 to be signed this week

CEBU, Philippines - After years of battling over the controversial 93-1 lots, the Cebu City government and the provincial government will finally settle the issue this week by signing a memorandum of agreement. 

The MOA will be signed by both local government units this Wednesday as part of the activities set for the Urban Poor Solidarity Week, said Geneveive Alcoseba, head of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor.

The Urban Poor Solidarity Week officially kicked off yesterday at the Cebu City Hall and was attended by over a thousand members of 200 homeowner associations from Barangays Mabolo, Quiot, Luz, Pardo, Inayawan, T. Padilla, Lorega, Kinasang-an, among others.

Apart from the MOA signing for the 93-1 lots, Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the Office of Vice President Leni Robredo will also hold a signing of the Community Mortgage Program on Wednesday.

This was according to Francisco "Bimbo" Fernandez, "de facto" city administrator. 

Fernandez said with the signing, the processing and approval of projects will only take a month instead of the longer time it usually goes through.

The urban poor can also look forward to the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Slum Improvement Resettlement Program, also known as the SIR, Alcoseba said.

The IRR will be signed tomorrow by Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Alcoseba said. Barangays under SIR are Suba, Pasil, Alaska Mambaling, and Sawang Calero.

"Ang kani man gung SIR mura ni siya'g 93-1 in the south kay barato pud nga pagka-dispose ba ang yuta sa urban poor," she said.

On the same day, Alcoseba said there will also be a distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Awards to various homeowner associations in different barangays.

A signing of a memorandum of understanding by the Social Housing Finance Corporation and a gender sensitivity forum will also be held on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the City Hall will hold a residential free patent forum. Most of the delegates will be from Barangay Duljo, Alcoseba said.

Other activities for the urban poor during the week are legal and medical assistance; and the Oh My Gwapa, a special vanity treatment program with spa, massage, and manicure and pedicure treats.  (FREEMAN)