THE Cebu Provincial Government and Cebu City Government have agreed to discuss further concerns involving the 93-1 land swap deal before they will proceed with the next step.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia met with Cebu City Councilors Raymond Alvin Garcia and Donaldo Hontiveros and South Road Properties Manager Jose Daluz III on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, to discuss the matter.
“We agreed on those points that need to be clarified. These include the MOA (memorandum of agreement) and the deed of donation and acceptance (signed during previous administration),” the governor said on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
It was the first meeting between the present City and Provincial administrations in relation to the land swap deal.
The governor said they are looking into a “mutually beneficial agreement” between the Province and the City.
“We’re in agreement with our City officials. We are continuing our discussions and negotiations are always welcome for both parties,” she added.
On May 25, 2019, a month before assuming office, the governor and Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella met in a unity and solidarity meeting to discuss issues concerning existing and possible transactions between the City Government and Provincial Government, among others.
At that time, Labella told reporters that the land swap deal concerning the 93-1 lots was one of their major concerns.
Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña and former governor now Vice Gov. Hilario Davide III signed the deed of donation and acceptance of the lots belonging to 93-1 on Aug. 3, 2018.
In December 2016, Osmeña and Davide signed the MOA on the land swap deal between the City and the Province.
Based on the MOA, the Province will give the City 32 hectares of land spread across several barangays, which are occupied mostly by urban poor settlers.
It will also hand over 1.5 hectares in the Department of Agriculture compound on M. Velez St.; 2,358 square meters on Gorordo Ave. in Barangay Lahug; and 577 square meters on Don Gil Garcia St. in Barangay Capitol Site.
In exchange, the City offered the Province a 2.5-hectare lot in the SRP.
It is also proposing to turn over to the Province a 3.3-hectare block behind SM City in Barangay Mabolo; a 2.5-hectare botanical garden behind SM Seaside in the SRP; nine hectares in Barangay Pulpogan, Consolacion; the 1.37-hectare lot where the septage treatment plant lot stands; and the 2,476-square-meter lot where the city abattoir stands.
The deal also includes returning to Capitol the City’s possession of and rights to the zoo, a condition set by the Province.
The transfer of the Pulpogan property, though, is still pending before the Regional Trial Court Branch 9. RTF