Cebu City, Capitol officials work to reconcile property values

A LONG-STANDING land issue impacting nearly 5,000 families in Cebu City is progressing, with officials now focusing on resolving property valuations to finalize a significant land swap between Cebu Province and Cebu City.

The successful resolution of the issue now hinges on reconciling these differing valuations, a crucial step before the deal can secure final approval.

Here’s a look at what’s happening, why it matters and what comes next.

What is the 93-1 land swap

At its heart, the deal is an attempt to solve a problem created by Provincial Ordinance 93-1, which was passed in 1993. The ordinance was supposed to allow thousands of urban poor residents to buy the provincial lots they were occupying across 11 of Cebu City’s barangays.

However, after a payment deadline lapsed in 2004, the Province began issuing eviction notices. This led to years of negotiations for a land swap, where the City would give the Province other valuable properties in exchange for the 93-1 lots, thereby giving the resident-occupants a clear path to ownership under the City.

An initial deal was signed in 2016 between then-mayor Tomas Osmeña and then-governor Hilario Davide III, but this was later revoked by a subsequent provincial administration (then-governor Gwendolyn Garcia), which instead tried to sell the lots directly to occupants through a partnership with the Pag-Ibig Fund. Many residents opposed that plan, citing the high property values used.

After the 2025 midterm elections, the new leaders, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival and Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, revived the 2016 land swap concept.

Why is it stalled

The core issue is property valuation. Both the Provincial and City Governments have their own appraisal committees and each has come up with a value for the various lots involved in the swap. These include not only the residential 93-1 lots but also valuable commercial and industrial properties the City has offered in exchange, such as land at the South Road Properties (SRP) and near major malls.

“The concurrence of both valuations is required for the Commission on Audit (COA) to render approval of the proposed exchange,” Baricuatro told reporters Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.

Essentially, until both local governments agree on a single, unified valuation for all the properties being traded, the COA cannot review and approve the deal, leaving it in limbo. While Provincial Assessor Michelle Languido noted the valuations are “not too far apart,” agreement is still needed. The Province is also negotiating for other items, including a new agreement for a septage treatment plant.

What’s at stake

For the families living in 93-1 lots, the outcome determines their ability to secure legal ownership of the land they have lived on for decades.

The previous plan to sell the lots directly to residents used zonal valuations that pegged prices as high as P51,000 to P70,000 per square meter, a price many occupants said they could not afford. They have pushed for the use of fair market value, which is typically lower.

For the local governments, the deal involves a massive exchange of valuable real estate. The properties offered by the City include:

• 2.5 hectares in the SRP;

• 3.3 hectares in Barangay Mabolo;

• Land for a botanical garden in the SRP; and

• A nine-hectare lot in Consolacion town.

These are prime assets and officials have a duty to make sure that these are traded fairly and valued correctly.

What happens next

The immediate future of the 93-1 land swap depends on technical negotiations. The appraisal committees from both the Province and the City must meet and arrive at a compromise on property values.

Once they reach an agreement and finalize a new memorandum of agreement, the entire deal will be submitted to COA. Only with COA’s stamp of approval can the titles be transferred. / CDF