THE Cebu City Government is set to purchase another five parcels of land totaling 3,763 square meters in Barangay Mambaling to pave the way for the second package of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project.
These include 3,539 square meters from Cruisers Property Management Corp., 166 square meters from spouses Jimmy and Zosima Bequilla, and 58 square meters from spouses Steve and Jocelyn Sia.
Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is set to sign the deeds of absolute sale and memorandum of agreement with the lot owners after he was authorized by the City Council through a resolution sponsored by Councilor Rey Gealon during its regular session on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
However, during the session, Councilor Nestor Archival asked the council secretariat to review the records since he also sponsored resolutions in February authorizing the mayor to purchase lots in the barangay. He pointed out that one of the owners of the lots in Gealon’s resolution was the same owner in his resolutions.
He said buying lots from the same owner is not allowed, although he added that his previous resolutions was to purchase lots for the City’s housing program.
Upon review, the council secretariat said the lot and title numbers of Archival and Gealon’s resolutions were different. “Same parties as to the sellers of the properties, but different lot numbers,” said the secretariat.
Gealon, for his part, reiterated that his resolution was for the purchase of lots for the CBRT project. His resolution was approved with Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera abstaining.
In December 2016, the Cebu City Government signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), in which the City agreed to facilitate land purchases for lots affected by CBRT project implementation. The DOTr provides funding for these land purchases through loan proceeds from its agreement with the World Bank.
On Feb. 25, the City purchased 11 lots along F. Vestil St. in Barangay Mambaling, with a total value of over P58 million. The lots were owned by Christine Sanchez, Annabelle Ylaya, Rodolfo Toreon, Carmen Costelo, Erlinda and Dionisio Daro, Cesar and Eva Magalang, Anaclito Baylomo, Jaypee Biscarra, Bonnielou Bugas, Richmond and Sarah Magpayo and Ruell de Leon Magpayo.
On Feb. 3, the City acquired seven lots with a total value of P52.2 million. The sellers include Roger Mercado and Luz Verano Mercado, Emelita Cruz-Ortilano, Marcelo and Erlinda Pilapil and the heirs of spouses Amando and Marcelina Sanchez.
To date, the City has acquired 18 lots affected by the CBRT project. The mayor previously stated that an additional 90 lots must be purchased for road right of way.
Package 2 of the CBRT project covers the south trunk route from the South Road Properties to Mambaling via N. Bacalso Ave. and connects to Package 1, from the Cebu South Bus Terminal on N. Bacalso Ave. to the Capitol building. It was originally scheduled for completion in the last quarter of 2023. / JPS