Cebu City Councilor Raymond Garcia (second from left) leads the team of Cebu City government in the meeting with Cebu Province officials to discuss further the 93-1 Land Swap deal. | Photo courtesy of Councilor Raymond Garcia
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The ongoing negotiations for the 93-1 Land Swap deal between the Cebu City government and Cebu Provincial government has moved one step further to realization.
Councilor Raymond Garcia, majority floor leader of the City Council, said in their most recent meeting with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, that they had agreed to form appraisal committees.
The City Assessor and Provincial Assessor will be independently assessing the values of the lots set for exchange according to current value.
This way, they can compare the lot values and ensure that the exchange is equitable.
“Usa man gud sa issues karon kay ang COA (Commission on Audit) nga walay prior approval ang COA before. Ang reason ngano mocome in ang COA (is) to check it sakto ba ang values sa exchange,” said Councilor Garcia.
(One of the issues now is the COA [Commission on Audit] that there was no prior approval from COA before. The reason that COA would come in is to check if the values of the exchange is right.)
Once the appraisal is completed, the two parties will come up with an agreed value to be presented to COA for approval before sealing the Land Swap deal.
“We are making sure nga mapatas-patas ang value sa 93-1 properties and the properties that will be exchanged for the 93-1,” the councilor added.
(We are making sure that the value of the 93-1 properties and the properties that will be exchanged for the 93-1 will be more or less of the same value.)
Garcia said that COA’s approval on the new Land Swap Deal was highly important because the previous signed deal was flagged by the state audit agency.
It placed the city government and provincial government at a dangerous position of implementing an illegal deal.
This time, both governments want everything to be “done right.”
On Friday, April 8, 2022, there will be a final review of the appraised values and A
Garcia expects that the proposed deal would be submitted to the COA soon.
Mayor Michael Rama has ordered the fast-track of the 93-1 negotiations so that the deal will be signed before the elections.
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