To solve 93-1 issue: Cebu City, province to swap lands

CEBU, Philippines - Nearly four hectares of Cebu City lots will be swapped with Capitol-owned properties in a move that aims to end the plight of about 5,000 beneficiary-families occupying the controversial 93-1 lot.

According to Governor Hilario Davide III, the properties have been identified for the land swap proposal, including the two-hectare Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area, a parcel of land near the Association of Barangay Council building at the South Road Properties, and a portion of the Cebu Zoo lot.

 The land swap deal was revived last week following a meeting between Davide and Mayor Tomas Osmeña. The proposal was first explored in 2007.

 Davide said he and Osmeña agreed in principle to exchange land instead of buying lots occupied by its residents covered under Provincial Ordinance 93-1. Ordinance 93-1 covers province-owned lands in Cebu City. Many are occupied by settlers and homeowners associations.

 "There's no money consideration here. No talk of money," he said. Former Mayor Michael Rama offered P500 million to pay off the 93-1 lots.

 Davide and Osmeña are allied with the Liberal Party. The two were allies when Davide was a city councilor before he changed residence and ran for governor.

Davide said he will take up the proposal of the city with the Provincial Board.

"Tun-an na nato," he said.

 If the deal would be materialized, Davide said the province would utilize the properties for commercial use so the Capitol can have additional source of revenue.

 "We may put up commercial center there nga maka-earn ang province. Depende lang. But what's important is we acquire these properties first," he said.

 The Block 27, a prime commercial lot across the Cebu International Port, was valued at P500 million when the land swap was first proposed in 2007.

But the Capitol reportedly owns the zoo lot which the city has been occupying for years.

The zoo is in a 70,000-square meter area, which is a portion of the 222,110 square meter lot 1298.

The said lot was not part of the donated property of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, however, the province devoted the property to Cebu City as a zoo.

  Lot 1298 was donated by former governor Francisco Remotigue on Oct. 14, 1963 to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines with the condition that the lots will be used as a campsite and a regional training center, while seven hectares will be retained for the zoo. But the donation excluded the 70,000 square meters as stated in paragraph 2 of the Deed of Donation.

 However, BSP reverted to Capitol all its properties. The donation has long been terminated after the province and BSP executed a memorandum of understanding to return the donated lots to the province and for the relocation of the campsite to other areas of the province. The BSP campsite located in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City has an area of 228,910 square meters or almost 23 hectares.

The city government during Rama's administration has been negotiating with the governor for the latter to donate the property where the Cebu Zoo is located.

Former City Administrator and city engineer Jose Marie Poblete was quoted earlier saying that the lot became a "stumbling block for any development" the city government is eyeing for the zoo. (FREEMAN)