Davide: Land swap deal beneficial for province

PURSUING a land swap deal, without additional monetary compensation from the Cebu City government, to resolve the 93-1 lot dispute will still be beneficial to the Cebu Provincial government, said Gov. Hilario Davide III.

He said aside from Cebu City residents occupying the province-owned lots located within the city, there are also a lot of residents from the province’s towns who are occupying these areas.

“If you take a closer look at the occupants of the province-owned lots, 80 to 85 percent are from the different towns of the province who have come here in Cebu City and brought their families. This is for all Cebuanos,” Davide said in a press conference yesterday.

Davide earlier met with Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to discuss how to resolve the 93-1 lot dispute, a campaign promise that they assured to be accomplished within 60 days in office.
Their initial agreement was for the city to give several lots to the province in exchange for the province-owned lots located in 11 barangays in the city.

The lots to be given by the city include a portion of Block 27 in the North Reclamation Area, a lot beside the Association of Barangay Councils building in the South Road Properties as well as the Cebu Zoo.
Davide explained that he agreed on the swap of the Cebu Zoo despite an unresolved dispute between Cebu City and Cebu Province over ownership of the lot.
“So that there are no more fights, it will be stopped,” Davide said as to why he agreed with the swap.
But the swap will also mean that the city will turn over the management of Cebu Zoo to the province. Davide said he plans to convert the zoo into an amusement park, which the province lacks. /Reporter Jose Santino S. Bunachita