Capitol: 93-1 lot dispute is not solved overnight

Resolving the plight of settlers occupying lots owned by the province under Provincial Ordinance 93-1 is not done overnight, Provincial legal officer Orvi Ortega said.

“With all due respect to Vice President Jejomar Binay’s comments, we can remember that our governor (Hilario Davide III) tried solving it in his first term but we have to understand that this isn’t an easy job,” he said.

The vice president, who recently visited Cebu, blamed the province for delaying the resolution of the 93-1 lot problem.

Binay said the Cebu City government already had funds to pay for the lots and was waiting on the province to act on it.

Ortega said even the previous administrations of then governors Gwendolyn Garcia and Pablo Garcia, who each served nine years, failed to resolve the dispute between the city and province.

Beneficiaries
Provincial Ordinance 93-1, which was passed in 1993, allowed settlers to buy province-owned lots located in Cebu City which they have occupied for years.

Until now, more than half of the identified beneficiaries still haven’t paid for the lots.

Ortega also said the joint technical working group of the Economic Enterprise Council and the Cebu Real Property Protection Task Force met last Tuesday to discuss the Cebu City government’s offer to buy the remaining partially paid lots at P500 million.

“They drafted an agreement which is now at my table. I will have to review it and I will give it to the governor,” Ortega said.

Proposals
Ortega said the agreement includes a P100-million budget for 2012 and P400 million availability of funds for 2014, and the other terms which were subject for review.

He also said 30 percent of the beneficiaries were able to fully pay within the period.

Ortega said they will also ask the Commission on Audit (COA) for input on the agreement.

Governor Hilario Davide III said he will meet with the Provincial Board (PB) and the technical working committee this week on the proposals he received for the 93-1 lots.

“Yes, we already received that proposal and next week (within the week), I will be meeting with the Provincial Board to discuss this. There are options available to the province,” he said.

He said they were reviewing proposals from the Cebu City government, homeowners association and urban poor groups.

Among these proposals was Cebu City Hall’s offer to pay an initial P100 million for the sale of the 93-1 lots.

Over 2,000 lots are covered in the 93-1 ordinance in barangays Kamputhaw, Tejero, Busay, Capitol Site, Lorega, Kasambagan, Kalunasan, Luz, Lahug, Mabolo and Apas.

The Cebu City Treasurer’s Office certified the availability of funds.

The remaining P400 million will be paid upon the transfer of certificate of titles in favor of City Hall./Correspondents Melissa Q. Cabahug and Mary Claire U. Catado