PB Urges PNoy to Declare Bantayan, Camotes Islands as Alienable Lands

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has passed a resolution requesting President Benigno S. Aquino III to declare the islands of Bantayan and Camotes in northern Cebu as alienable and disposable land.

The PB passed the resolution sponsored by PB Member Jude Thaddeus Sybico following a report of the National Housing Authority (NHA)-7 that it cannot provide relocation sites to victims of super typhoon Yolanda in these islands but only financial assistance for housing materials due to their present status.

Sybico said that by issuing a special proclamation, it would remove difficulties in the acquisition of relocation sites for the typhoon victims in the said areas.

Sybico said the provincial government is willing to provide financial assistance to the affected local government units to purchase relocation sites.

“It is hampered from doing so owing to the lack of certificates of title covering them or by their status as inalienable lands,” Sybico said.

The NHA-7 had only granted P2,500 to every family residing in untitled lands within protected areas but P250,000 housing package for those transferred to sites with certificates of title supporting the land purchase.

Sybico said the situation has dampened the morale of typhoon victims in the two islands.

NHA-7 director Gavino Figuracion earlier said the agency is tasked by the national government to provide permanent housing for affected families on the no build zone areas certified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

But the lands in Bantayan and Camotes islands are not covered with titles because the areas were declared as Wilderness Area and Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserves, respectively.

Since they cannot assist to permanent housing, Figuracion said they have coordinated with the congressmen to give housing materials.

In Bantayan Island which is under Cebu fourth district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, Figuracion said there is an allocation of P15 million for the 2,119 families in the town of Madridejos; 3,000 in Bantayan, and around 1,000 in Santa Fe. (PNA) LAM/EB