PB defers action on 93-1 lot deal

The Cebu Provincial Board has deferred the approval of the measure granting Governor Hilario Davide III the authority to sign the deed of donation for the controversial 93-1 lot.

The PB members wanted to know first the status of the memorandum of agreement on the land swap deal signed between the provincial government and the Cebu City government in December 2016.

Under the MOA, the province will swap 32.4 hectares of its properties in Cebu City, which have been occupied by long-time settlers, in exchange for 16.42 hectares of open and commercially viable land owned by Cebu City.

The 2.5-hectare lot at the South Road Properties, 2,475-square-meterslaughterhouse at the North Reclamation Area, nine-hectare property in Pulpogan, Consolacion, and 2,475-square-meterslaughterhouse at the NRA are among the properties of the city government involved in the 93-1 land swapping.

The agreement targets to resolve the 93-1 lot dispute issue, which was among the campaign promises made by Davide and Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Board Member Celestino Martinez III, who authored the resolution's deferment, said the PB wants to be enlightened on how the deliverables are met.

To give updates on the MOA, the PB has invited the provincial legal counsel Orvi Ortega to appear before the legislative body.

In a separate interview, Ortega said once the governor is authorized to sign on behalf of the province the deed of donation, the provincial government can then start processing the transfer of land title to the Cebu City.

On June 5, the Cebu City Council's committee on laws, ordinances and styling has withdrawn its report on the resolution authorizing Osmeña to sign the deed of donation and acceptance with the Province of Cebu on the land swap deal.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, chairman of the said committee, earlier said the proponent of the resolution, Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr., failed to provide documents of the deed of donation and acceptance of the 2.5hectare lot in the South Road Properties.

Provincial Ordinance 93-1 was approved by the Provincial Board in 1993. It covers 51 hectares of land owned by the province but are occupied by residents of Cebu City.

It is subdivided to at least 4,364 home lots in 11 different barangays, including barangays Kamputhaw, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Busay, Luz, Lahug, Mabolo, Apas, Lorega, Kasambagan, and Tejero.

However, only 1,445 of these home lots, which are occupied by city residents, have been fully paid for. Of the remaining home lots, 1,188 are not fully paid while 1,731 have not been paid for at all.