Davide, PB Members Receive Special Award During 80th Cebu City Charter Day

For their efforts in addressing the land tenure security of the city’s urban poor, Cebu Governor Hilario P. Davide III and the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) received distinguished recognition during the awarding ceremony for outstanding individual and institutions and testimonial dinner held at the Grand Convention Center in observance of the 80th Charter Day celebration of Cebu City last week.
Davide and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, as SP representative, were awarded the Mayor’s Special Award handed over personally by Mayor Tomas Osmeña, together with the members of the City Council.

The award is in recognition for the Provincial Government’s effort in finalizing the erstwhile controversial “93-1” (land swap deal) agreement that brings to a close the issues on land cases among the beneficiaries of the province-owned lots.

Provincial Ordinance 93-1, passed in 1993, is the Province’s response to the implementation of Republic Act No. 7279, also known as the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992.

UDHA charged LGUs to provide housing program for homeless citizens in the urban areas by making available decent housing at affordable cost.

In 1994, the Capitol designated on installment basis several portions of its properties to program beneficiaries.

However, actual occupants and beneficiaries of the project failed to satisfy the full payment of the province-owned lot, despite favourable period provided by the Capitol.

Through the years, the debt places occupants to lose their homes through court-ordered demolition.

Some of these lots are located within the territorial control of Cebu City government, which are subdivided around 4, 400 home lots with an area of 51 hectares.

The troubled lot spread along 11 areas of the city’s barangays, namely: Apas, Busay, Camputhaw, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Kasambagan, Lahug, Lorega, Mabolo, Luz and Tejero.

In the memorandum of agreement signed by the Province and Cebu City last December, the city can implement its socialized housing program for informal settlers, while the Capitol can resolve the debts by transferring under its name several of the city’s properties.

“Cebu City will be here long after we’re gone but it’s important that while we’re here, we will make our contribution to set the platform for a better growth in tomorrow,” Osmeña said.

Moreover, the agreement aims to resolve all issues over the properties and provide relief to occupants, who are struggling for their lots since 1993. (Francis Torralba)

SOURCE: www.cebu.gov.ph