Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Capitol hands out deeds of sale
AFTER 41 years, 92-year-old Cenon Alboladora now owns the piece of land his house stands on in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City.
Alboladora, who turns 93 years old in December, is one of the beneficiaries of the 93-1 lots. He was given his absolute deed of sale yesterday in a ceremonial distribution where 569 deeds of sale were handed out by the Provincial Government.
Alboladora could not walk anymore but he still attended the ceremony at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) on a wheelchair.
“Nagpasalamat na ta ni governor? Kang vice-governor? (Did we thank the governor and the vice governor?)” Alboladora asked his daughter Florentina, who told them they already did.
Alboladora personally received the certificate from Capitol officials, representing all beneficiaries from Barangay Capitol Site.
Full payment
The deeds of sale were given only to those settlers of 93-1 lots who have fully paid for their properties.
In Alboladora’s case, he paid P428,208.25 for his 101.97-square meter lot for 11 years.
These 93-1 lots are those covered by an ordinance in Feb. 8, 1993 signed by then governor Vicente “Tingting” dela Cerna. The ordinance allowed legitimate occupants of provincial lots in Cebu City, defined by those who have been staying in the lot for two-three years, to own the land they have built their houses on by paying for it in two years.
The deadline for payments were extended for five years in 1994 and another five years in 1999, during the term of then Cebu governor Pablo Garcia, who is now congressman of the second district.
But no more extensions were granted during the term of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, in line with her policy to recover all provincial properties. She was installed as governor in 2004, the same year the last extension ended.
These lots cover 12 barangays, said Provincial Board Member Juan Bolo, chairperson of the committee on properties.
Conditions
Conditions to owning the land include: exclusive residential use, a certificate of legitimate ownership, certificate from the assessor that beneficiary does not own any other lots, and the lot covered by 93-1 cannot be sold in 10 years since ownership was formalized.
New landowners were only those who have paid in full, but Garcia hinted that she has not closed her doors on those who have partially paid the lots.
“It will be a case-to-case basis. I will negotiate with barangay captains for solutions to those who partially paid or those who never paid,” Garcia said to thousands of beneficiaries that gathered at the CICC.
Beneficiaries
Garcia, at one point, could not hide her irritation when no representative from Barangay Apas came up the stage yesterday for the ceremonial distribution.
Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda explained that they were still in the process of verifying the names on the list of beneficiaries.
Garcia explained that when she was signing the deeds, beneficiaries reached 620 instead of the original 569 because some of those who have partially paid were still given deeds. At one point beneficiaries even reached 800.
Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman later explained that there might have been a minor problem but all beneficiaries have been cleared.
These lots were the subject of a botched land swap deal between Capitol and City Hall.
Capitol was supposed to turn these lots over to the Cebu City Government since most occupants are from the City. In return, the Provincial Government was to get 3.6 hectares of land at the North Reclamation Area.
A word war ensued between the two local government units after the Provincial Officials felt slighted when Cebu City Vice Mayor Mike Rama hinted the deal may be disadvantageous to the City.
Political issue
“Today, your are legitimate owners of Provincial lots where you built your homes. You are no longer squatters, you are respectable landowners.” Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann delos Santos said in her brief speech representing beneficiaries from her barangay.
She could not help but hit on her mayoral opponent last year, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, “Cebu City officials belittled (the province’s) pro-urban poor projects, making it a political issue.”
“Were these Cebu City traditional politicians able to give you solutions to your problems? No,” said delos Santos.
Garcia followed it up with her statement, “I will not be blackmailed by anyone who thinks he is God’s gift to Cebu...in the guise of his pro-poor stance.”
Delos Santos also read a poem for Garcia entitled “Our Hero,” as a symbol of her barangay’s gratitude to the governor and the rest of the provincial officials.
Barangay Captains Ayuman of Apas, Lorenzo Basamot of Camputhaw, Nida Cabrera of Barrio Luz, Erwin Guanzon of Capitol Site also gave Garcia and Capitol officials either a certificate or plaque of appreciation.
But what made Garcia smile, after the minor hitch in the program with the Barangay Apas incident, was Busay Barangay Captain Elidoro Sanchez’ basket of mangoes, which he gave her instead of the more common plaque or certificate of appreciation. (JGA)
