Saturday, February 24, 2007
Speak out: Land swap controversy
By Arcadio A. Araw-Araw Jr.
Pardo, Cebu City
THE local version of “Deal or No Deal,” or the stalled land swap talks between the Cebu City Government and the Province of Cebu, seems to have already evolved into a game of chess between Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
While the governor is still a neophyte public servant, Osmeña, even if he has been considered a grand master, just can’t ignore the fact that Garcia and some Capitol officials won’t allow themselves to be checkmated.
Because Capitol can always look for excuses and even set aside or hold in abeyance its Ciudad project in Banilad, it can evade the effect of the Cebu City Council’s provocative resolution banning development works in that area.
Cebu City officials should re-evaluate their position and calculate their moves because any unnecessary maneuvering and pronouncement will jeopardize the land swap deal and affect the lives of some 5,000 families living in province-owned lots.
A “value for value” deal is obviously the most reasonable, fair and standard land swap or barter mode.
But how can Capitol and City Hall settle their difference when both have, according to the joke, “taas kayog high pride?”
The mayor may accept the proposal and ask for a re-assessment of the zonal and fair market value of all the affected lands.
The P3-billion value Capitol pegged on its lots, I am sure, is based on current schedule of zonal valuation of lands in Cebu City.
Capitol can buy a cheaper 40-hectare relocation site worth P400 million within Cebu City and suburbs for the affected families and spend another P400 million for site development.
To recover part of the cost, Capitol can ask each family to pay P60,000 per 60-square-meter area with help from the National Housing Authority and thus recover about P300 million, plus the remaining P2.2 billion worth of province-owned lots.
Let us now go back to the negotiating table and stop this ego tripping for the sake of our fellow Cebuanos.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 24, 2007 issue)
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