Gwen to visit Lahug, Luz to distribute deeds of sale

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will be in two Cebu City barangays to distribute the deed of absolute sale to 233 beneficiaries of the controversial Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

The ordinance, which was meant to allow illegal settlers in province-owned lands to own the lots they are occupying, became the center of the rift between the city and the province. This is a proposed land swap deal to prevent the province from reclaiming those lots that have not been paid based on the ordinance, did not push through.

Garcia said the distribution of the deed of absolute sale to the occupants will be done in barangays Lahug and Luz.

The distribution of lots in the barangays is upon the invitation of the two barangay captains, Mary Ann delos Santos and Nida Cabrera of Lahug and Luz, respectively.

There are 177 lot beneficiaries in Luz and 56 in Lahug.

De los Santos, in her letter to Garcia, is asking the governor if she can schedule the distributions of the titles at Salinas Drive.

She said the area is where most, if not all, the residents occupying the provincial lots are living.

In a separate invitation, the barangay council of Luz passed a resolution asking Governor Garcia to distribute the deeds of absolute sale in their place.

According to the resolution of Luz, they want the distribution to be done in the barangay in order to give meaning and significance to the beneficiaries of the property, who have been occupying the lot for more than 15 years.

“The Sangguniang Pambarangay of barangay Luz find it appropriate and fitting that the next batch of distribution of the individual deed of sale by the Province of Cebu for the Barangay Luz beneficiaries be held and conducted in Barangay Luz to be more meaningful and significant to beneficiaries,” the resolution read.

Garcia said she will go to Lahug and Luz. However, the date of the distribution is still being scheduled.

 “We will go there to the barangays because we have been invited by both barangay captains,” Garcia said.

For Garcia, she said that there is no politics in going to Lahug and Luz where she will distribute the deed of absolute sale.

“That’s their problem not mine. Para nako mo- sulbad ko sa problem aning daghan kaayo nga atong panagaan og deeds of absolute sale which is more important,” Garcia said.

The Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu City Government earlier agreed to swap properties. The city offered some lots in prime areas in return for the province’s lots so these could be offered to the squatters for their permanent housing.

The deal fell through when the province wanted to deal on a value-for-value basis as based on their fair market value contending that the province lots are worth billions while the property offered by the city is only worth hundreds of millions.

Due to the failed negotiation, the city froze the permits required by the province to process a project called ‘Ciudad’ in a posh city area. — Garry B. Lao/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)