Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Tomas still open to lot swap deal
CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is still open to negotiation with the Cebu Provincial Government on the proposal to swap lands for the sake of the residents.
But he also said the City is willing to “spend for the legal fees if the Capitol starts evicting the residents.”
“To me, I’m open (to a renegotiation). But, you see, the Provincial Government has planted itself in a corner that it wants value for value,” the mayor said.
“We intend to protect the welfare of 93-1 beneficiaries,” he added.
Provincial Ordinance 93-1, which disposes of Province-owned lots to actual occupants, was enacted during the administration of former governor Vicente de la Serna in 1994, and was to remain valid only for five years.
Affected by the ordinance were at least 8,000 families, most of whom were not able to pay in full.
In his regular press conference yesterday, Osmeña also corrected the “misinformation” that he did not sit down with Cebu Province officials for the land swap deal.
He actually broached to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia the deal to swap lots; and the Provincial Board agreed to it.
“It took us one-and-a-half years to come up with the final agreement. The deal did not just come out of the clear blue sky. All that was (supposedly) needed was the authority of the (City) Council,” he said yesterday.
However, the council raised questions and even commented that Capitol is including in the deal lots that have been fully paid for by the beneficiaries.
Osmeña had tried resuming negotiations by making the deal more attractive, such as offering to the Provincial Government the management of the Cebu City Medical Center, but Garcia was lukewarm on the offer.
The Province has issued notices to vacate to the residents, particularly those of Barangays Luz and Lahug.
The residents appealed for reconsideration.
Under the original terms, the City was supposed to turn over to the Province a 33,740-square-meter property in the North Reclamation Area worth P415.3 million.
In exchange, the Province would hand over 435,991 square meters scattered in 11 barangays, with a market value of P3.15 billion.
The City would be able to recover some P183.1 million if it got to collect the unpaid dues of the lot occupants. (RHM)
