Monday, March 03, 2008 Council asks body's opinion on sending demand notices
THE Cebu City Council has asked the committee on laws to comment on a proposed measure authorizing the committee on housing to send demand notices to 1,106 delinquent socialized housing beneficiaries.
The measure seeks to empower the committee to fully enforce the memoranda of agreement (MOAs) these beneficiaries signed with the City, with some dating back to 1999.
The delinquent beneficiaries represent 39.46 percent of 2,803 housing program recipients from 43 housing associations with active MOAs with the City Government.
Respond
They were supposed to have paid P11.485 million as of last month.
City Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) consultant Charmae Pyl Nercua said the notices for final settlement were “already sent out and the City is just waiting for them to respond promptly to the notices.”
The beneficiaries have until this Thursday to settle their delinquencies.
Non-compliance with the demand letter would mean endorsement of the matter to the City Attorney’s Office.
That, in turn, will lead to forfeiture of their rights and demolition of their homes by the City Squatters Prevention, Encroachment Elimination Division.
Legality
Last Wednesday, the City Council asked the committee on laws to look into the legality of City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias’ measure authorizing the committee headed by City Councilor Richard Osmeña to “make, sign and deliver” the notices.
A source said the measure was meant to give the sent notices a semblance of the council’s blessing.
City Councilor Nestor Archival, housing committee vice chairman, said this is the first time the City sent demand notices to the beneficiaries.
Benefit
But, he said, the City also has to collect because its collection would also be used for the benefit of more recipients.
“Actually, this is a win-win situation. The City gets to collect the money, while they get to finally own the properties,” said Archival, who is also a Local Housing Board member.
According to a report by the DWUP financial monitoring section, the 2,803 beneficiaries have a balance of P108.226 million.
And based on the collection target, P11.485 million of the amount should have been paid by the delinquent beneficiaries as of February 2008.
Overdue
According to the same report, the St. Michael’s Neighborhood Association in Barangay Talamban, whose 161 members have a balance of P11.959 million, has the biggest overdue amount of P4 million. This is divided among 118 beneficiaries.
While the administration “commits to support” the beneficiaries, “it is also very serious in ensuring that the socialized housing programs really work by implementing the agreements and enforcing the law,” Nercua said. (RHM)
