For 93-1 lots beneficiary guidelines almost done

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City’s Local Housing Board and the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor are finalizing the proposed guidelines for the beneficiaries of the 93-1 land swap.

Francisco Fernandez, chairman of the Local Housing Board representing the mayor, said he hopes the guidelines will be submitted to Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the City Council for their approval.

“Ang ato is we can come up with the guidelines and the price nga hopefully ma-submit na sa decision makers and they will decide on it this month,” he said.

Fernandez, who is also the executive assistant to the mayor, said the consultation and validation of the beneficiaries took time because the city needs to ensure that all data is available before they will sign individual contracts.

To recall, Cebu Province approved Provincial Ordinance No. 93-1 in 1993 to provide a scheme for Cebu City residents to pay monthly amortization that would allow them to eventually own the province-owned lot they have been occupying for years.

It involves 51 hectares owned by the province that are subdivided into at least 4,364 home lots in barangays Kamputhaw, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Busay, Luz, Lahug, Mabolo, Apas, Lorega, Kasambagan, and Tejero, all in Cebu City.

Fernandez said the city reviewed the original list of beneficiaries of the 93-1 lots and they found out that there are several people who are not in the list but are occupying the 93-1 lots.

As of now, he said the mayor’s management team is validating the consultation by the DWUP personnel before the finalization of the guidelines.

“Daghan man gud tang gitan-aw pareha sa kinsay naa sa original list ug kinsay wala na, kinsay nakabayad sa province, pilay naka-fully paid na kay makahatag nata sa title nila. Ug kinsa tong mga naka-partially paid na ug pila nalang ilang kulang,” he said.

Fernandez said the LHB and the DWUP will ask the City Council and Osmeña regarding how to go about those not included in the original list but are daughters or sons of the original beneficiaries.

Also, he said the city has to decide on how to go about the instances where original beneficiaries sold their lots to others.

He said the validation was conducted per community of the beneficiaries, adding that there are 45 associations covering the 93-1 lots.

Officials of Cebu Province and the Cebu City government have already signed the deed of donation and acceptance to legally transfer the lots involved in the 93-1 land swap deal. — BRP (FREEMAN)