Lot occupants ask City: Speed up loan restructuring

CEBU, Philippines - Beneficiaries of the Slum Improvement and Resettlement (Sir) Program whose contracts were supposed to be restructured for another 10 years appealed to the City Government to speed up the implementation of the restructuring of contracts because it has already been a year since the ordinance giving them another 10-year extension was passed and approved.

City Ordinance 2559 sponsored by Housing Committee Chairman Alvin Dizon sought to give another 10 years to delinquent beneficiaries to be able to pay in full the lot they are occupying under the Sir Program so they will finally get to own the property.

Their 25-year contract expired last December 2009 since the program was implemented in March 1979. After the expiration, their contract was extended for six months through Resolution No. 09-1599 but the beneficiaries still failed to settle their dues.

In December 10, 2010, C.O. 2559 was passed to give another chance to 2,553 delinquent beneficiaries. The number of delinquent beneficiaries constitutes 61 percent of the total 3,651 beneficiaries.

SIR program covers lots in barangays Ermita, Pasil, Duljo Fatima, Sawang Calero, Suba and Mambaling which the City Government purchased for P20 million from the National Government.

Beneficiaries from Sawang Calero is concerned that the Oversight Committee in-charged of the implementation of the ordinance has not convened until now.

The beneficiaries are saddened that no office seems to care to implement the ordinance.

Last week, Dizon passed a resolution directing DWUP, the implementing agency of C.O. 2559, to convene the oversight committee.

Once finally implemented, beneficiaries will have a restructured contract and be able to start paying their balance but subject to an increase in the price.

For original beneficiaries, the new price for inner lots is P150 per square meter while the price for lots near the main road is P200 per square meter.

Actual occupants who bought rights and were admitted to the SIR program will have to pay a higher amount, from P500 to P2,200 per square meter, depending on the location of the lot, for instance, the distance from the main road. — (FREEMAN)