Mayors ready to oversee relocation but where’s funds?

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III listens as Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. (left), Task Force Paglig-on head and Carmel Ulanday (standing), consultant for rehabilitation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office present their recommendations during the roundtable discussion of northern Cebu town mayors that were affected by typhoon Yolanda at Crown Regency hotel. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Relocation sites are available for the transfer of coastal residents out of a 40-meter “no dwelling zone” in all 16 north Cebu towns and cities affected by typhoon Yolanda.

But there are no local funds to buy the land.

And many lots, while availble for sale, are not covered with land titles.

“The biggest problem continues to be the financial aspect. As of now, our towns don’t have money to purchase the sites on top of other problems,” said Baltazar Tribunalo, Taskforce Paglig-on chief yesterday.

Town mayors raised this problem in a day-long forum, where they asked for national government aid.

Some suggested that the Capitol set up a “trust fund” for pooled donations from private and government sources.

In a later interview, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said the provincial government is willing to set aside funds for this but worried about the lack of land titles, which may raise a red flag for auditors.

He said the Commission on Audit (COA) was strict about requiring land titles to support any government purchase of real property.

“We are willing to set aside funds for the purchase of lots for relocation. In fact, we did that in Tudela but there is a problem because COA or some government agencies require the land to be titled, not just to have tax declarations,” he said.

Tudela town in Camotes Groups of Islands is the only local government in the storm-struck north Cebu which acquired land for the relocation of its typhoon victims.

“We can ask Sen. Lacson if he comes to ask COA to lift that stringent rule because it falls as an exemption to the situation. It is necessary for the victims,” said Davide.

Lacson, chief of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR) program, earlier sent word he would attend the forum but didn’t show up.

He was invited to attend today’s launch of school building projects in San Remigio, northwest Cebu, one of the storm ravaged areas, but organizers hoped he woud also attend the mayors’ roundtable discussion at Crown Regency hotel in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City when he texted that he would drop by.

The roundtable discussion with provincial officials and disaster preparedness and management experts from the United Nations (UN) tackled President Aquino’s policy not to allow settlements 40 meters from the shore, a provision of the Water Code as well as a safety precaution against storm surges.

Mayors from Sogod, Tabogon, Sta. Fe, Madridejos, Daanbantayan, San Remigio, San Francisco, Pilar, Borbon, Pilar, Tuburan attended the forum.

Lack of funds

Sta. Fe Mayor Jose Esgana in Bantayan island said their town has identified a relocation site in an inland barangay and had the land appraised.

“We can buy it for a good price but we do not have funds for that,” he told fellow mayors.
He suggested that the Cebu provincial government set up a trust fund pooling donations from local governments and NGOs buy the land.

Corro and San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez both seconded Esgana’s plea for the release of funds from the national government.