Ordinance 93-1: 244 beneficiaries receive deed of sale

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Government yesterday distributed deeds of sale to 244 beneficiaries of the Ordinance 93-1 who have fully paid their obligations.

The number adds to the 1,689 deeds of sale that the Capitol already distributed since the time of former governor and now Deputy House Speaker Pablo Garcia, as well as in the previous terms of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

There are 4,364 total lot beneficiaries of Ordinance 93-1, approved during the time of former governor Vicente dela Serna to give occupants of Capitol-owned lots a chance to own the land they were living on.

When the term of payment expired, however, there were still thousands of beneficiaries who failed to pay their obligations. There was an attempt in 2004 to extend the deadline of payment but this was not approved.

Gov. Garcia is forming a technical working group to come up with a complete list of who have partially paid, and who have not paid at all.

The technical working group will have representatives from the Cebu City Government.

"Ang wala kabayad tingali naghuna-huna nga gobyerno bitaw ni, dili lang ta mamayad. Nagplano mi sa pagbuhat sa technical working group kung diin adunay representasyon ang probinsya ug ang dakbayan sa Sugbo aron makita ug mahanay kung si kinsa kadtong mga beneficiaries nga wala kabayad ug wala kahuman og bayad," she said.

The issue became a point of conflict between the Capitol and the Cebu City Government in the previous term.

Now, however, both local government units have expressed intention of sitting down again to discuss the matter.

Of the 244 who received their deeds of sale yesterday, 95 were from Barrio Luz, 54 were from Barangay Lahug, 23 were from Apas, 19 from the Capitol Site, 17 in Camputhaw, 12 in Mabolo, 12 in Busay, seven in Kalunasan and five from Lorega.

Beneficiaries of the Ordinance 93-1 are scattered in various Cebu City barangays.

"The 93-1 usa ka sugilanon nga nalambigit og pila na ka katuigan ug tulo ka gobernador ug ako maoy nasalinan sa pagdawat sa maong nga kontrobersiya. Paningkamutan nako nga sa akong ikatulong termino isip gobernador himuon nakong usa sa akong prioridad nga una mapupos akong termino masulbar na nato ang issue sa 93-1," she said during her speech. (FREEMAN)