THE controversial “piso-piso” program of Cagayan de Oro City government will be implemented with a new twist by mayoralty candidate Vicente Emano if he would win in the May 10 polls.
During a political rally held in Barangay Iponan last week, Emano promised to bring down the price of the lots the City Government would sell to landless residents -- from P1 to .50 cents.
Emano said this is to make the lots more affordable to the poor residents of the city.
Earlier, the “piso-piso” program was criticized after the supposed beneficiaries were not given land titles. Instead, only certificates of award were distributed.
But Emano told his supporters during the rally, whom he called “Ando” (Anak ni Dongkoy), that the certificates are already considered land titles.
“The certificates are valid and would serve as the passport to owning a piece of lot. This would bring a sense of dignity to the less fortunate, for them to have a lot that they can call their own, and that they would not be like ‘carabaos’ who will be transferred from one place to another,” he said, adding no other politician has initiated such project.
During the political rally, close to a thousand supporters from Barangay Iponan attended the event headed by all barangay captains in the city’s first district.
Known as a “father of the masses,” Emano pleads for support and his ticket in the May 10 elections.
During the political rally, Emano did not promise anything – aside from bringing down the lot prices – but said he would do his best to bring back Cagayan de Oro into where it was during his time as three-termer mayor – a peaceful and booming city.