Mayor Raymond Garcia urges 93-1 residents to secure land now

CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has urged urban poor families residing in the 93-1 properties to act in acquiring the lands they have occupied for decades.

He emphasized that they should take advantage of the Cebu Provincial Government’s willingness to sell at the current fair market value.

“I told them [93-1 residents] to grab the opportunity now that the governor is willing to sell the 93-1 properties at current fair value,” Garcia said in a press conference on March 24.

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Fair market pricing for 93-1 properties

Garcia said that the valuation must be based on the latest market prices, rather than outdated assessments used by the city government decades ago.

“When they asked for my help with their counterproposal, I noticed that they based their pricing on the City Hall’s outdated valuation—last updated in 2003 or 2004. We cannot use that anymore because the value of land has significantly increased over 20 years,” he explained.

To ensure fairness, Garcia said he directed the Cebu City Assessor’s Office to base the pricing on the latest sale or transfer values of surrounding properties rather than the city’s old tariff rates.

He also pointed out that any sale by the Provincial Government must pass scrutiny from the Commission on Audit (COA) to prevent undervaluation, which has led to legal issues in past transactions.

“The governor or the provincial government is subject to COA audit. There have been cases in the past where government properties were sold at a very low price, and COA flagged these transactions. That’s why we need to follow the fair market value to avoid losses for the government,” he said.

Residents urged to act now

Garcia noted that the residents expressed willingness to comply with the fair market pricing, understanding that further delays in payment could lead to increased land values or an uncertain future under a different administration.

“They are much more willing to pay now because they don’t want to risk higher prices in the future. Who knows? If a new governor takes over, they might be asked to leave. What can they do then?” Garcia said.

He assured the affected homeowners that he would personally convey their concerns to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, given their close relationship.

“If they have concerns or issues, I can bring them up with the governor since we have a good relationship. We can talk and see eye to eye. She’s my aunt, after all, so I can assure them of that,” he said.

Tensions over land pricing

The mayor’s statement comes amid growing concerns among 93-1 residents over the pricing of the lots, with many appealing for reduced rates, arguing that the current offer remains beyond their financial means.

The situation has also sparked political tensions, with former mayor Tomas Osmeña branding the Capitol’s land sale process as a “scam” and a form of intimidation.

He accused the governor of merely bluffing about the March 7 deadline for residents to formalize their housing loan applications through the Pag-IBIG Fund.

Garcia, however, dismissed Osmeña’s claims.

“The deadline has already passed, and the governor hasn’t revoked it. So what bluff is he talking about?” he said.

Longstanding 93-1 land dispute

The 93-1 issue traces back to a 1993 provincial ordinance that allowed urban poor settlers on Capitol-owned land within Cebu City to purchase their lots in installments. However, many residents failed to meet their obligations, leading to eviction warnings from the Provincial Government.

In 2016, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Cebu City Government and then-Governor Hilario Davide III aimed to resolve the issue, but Garcia criticized the previous administration for failing to implement it.

“They only reached the MOA stage; no deed of donation was signed, and nothing was implemented,” he said.

The affected 93-1 properties span 11 barangays in Cebu City: Apas, Busay, Kasambagan, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Mabolo, Lahug, Lorega San Miguel, Tejero, Luz, and Kamputhaw.

Garcia further mentioned that he would be willing to assist the residents in securing necessary documents, including tax declarations and subdivision plans, to facilitate the land purchase process.