For 25 years, the Lasalita family lived in constant fear of getting evicted from their home in Barrio Luz, Cebu City.

The family lives on a lot used to be owned by the provincial government. That lot, however, is now owned officially by the city government after Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Governor Hilario Davide III signed the deal donating the property and several others covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1 to Cebu City.

The Lasalita family was among those that erupted in joy.

“Nalipay ta ana kay dugay na mi nagpaabot ana since 1993, sa panahon pa sa mga niaging governor. Naundang kay wala man nahinayon to, wala na fine tune ang proseso,” Nonoy Lasalita told The FREEMAN, smiling from ear to ear.

Emily Malto, president of the 93-1 movement, thanked Davide and Osmeña for letting many families heave a sigh of relief. She said they have been waiting for this moment since 1993.

“Kinasing-kasing nga pasalamat sa tanan sa mga responsable sa nakahatag og higayon nga makaangkon sa luna. Dili ingon nga makaangkon but duna’y kasiguroan nga maangkon namo ang yuta nga gi-endorse sa city gikan sa province,” Malto said.

The 93-1 deal has 5,000 beneficiaries living in Barangays Kamputhaw, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Busay, Luz, Lahug, Mabolo, Apas, Lorega, San Miguel, Kasambagan, and Tejero in Cebu City.

With the Deed of Donation signed by both the city and province, Osmeña said they will settle the monthly payments of the 93-1 beneficiaries for the lots.

“We will set a standard for monthly payment regardless of who you are… monthly payment that they can afford,” he said.

The deal also means 32.4 hectares of lots covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1 are now owned by the city. Meanwhile, several of the city’s properties are now owned by the province, including, among others, a 2.5-hectare lot at the South Road Properties (SRP); a 13,711 square-meter lot where the Sewerage Treatment Plant is located; a 2,475 lot at the North Reclamation Area; a nine-hectare property in Pulpogan, Consolacion; and a 3.3-hectare lot at the North Reclamation Area.

In a speech yesterday, Osmeña said the whole process of sealing the land swap deal involved many legal and political struggles since the time of former Cebu governor Emilio Mario Osmeña Jr.

In 2007, during the time of former mayor Michael Rama, the city government aborted the land swap deal after former governor Gwendolyn Garcia felt insulted by the “dawat limpyo” remark of Rama who contended that the deal was disadvantageous to the city government.

Yesterday, Osmeña took a swipe at his former ally.

“He destroyed their dream. We have to build. So, that’s the only thing I am asking them. I am not even asking them to vote for me, just in your area, don’t vote for Rama. Ako na ang bahala kay Labella, just easy,” he said.

In an interview, Rama denied he botched the deal. In fact, he said, beneficiaries of the deal voted for him in previous elections.

“Ngano gud taw’ng ako nga i-resolve man unta gani na pag-abot nako. Ayaw siya pataka-a og sulti; mura gyud siya nagsalimoang na gyud. Murag naa gyud na’y problema iyahang utok,” Rama said of Osmeña.

Davide also thanked the city for helping in putting the long standing issue to bed.

“Pasalamat ko sa Cebu City kay duna pud ihatag sa Cebu Province, ubay-ubay nga yuta nga mapahimuslan sa probinsiya, salamat kaayo. Karong buntaga (yesterday), this is very historic, angay hinumduman,” Davide said.

Resolving the 93-1 issue was among the promises Osmeña and Davide made when they ran for mayor and governor in the 2016 election.