Tomas to pursue landswap but Capitol already signed agreements for sale of lots to several beneficiaries

CEBU, Philippines - If he gets elected as Cebu City mayor next year, South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña will push for the landswap deal with the Capitol, that is, if Hilario “JunJun” Davide becomes governor.

That, despite the Capitol’s clarification that there’s no more need for the landswap because it already signed agreements with several homeowners’ associations for the sale of the lots to their occupants.

Beneficiaries of what previously was the Ordinance 93-1 also stated earlier that they do not want the landswap issue revived as this might only muddle their ongoing direct negotiations with the Province.

“I think it’s a way of telling the people that if they don’t agree with the province there’s hope. What’s the hope? Don’t make (Cebu City Mayor Michael) Rama win. And make Junjun the governor. There’s hope,” he said.

 The City Council revived the issue on the landswap deal, even holding a public hearing on the matter. During the hearing, it was reported that many affected families favor the proposal. The day after the gathering, however, leaders of homeowners’ associations told reporters that there was a lot of “misinformation” about the issue and that many of those who attended the hearing were not beneficiaries.

Rama had rejected the proposal, saying it is advantageous to the city because it would mean giving up the P500-million Block 27 to the Capitol’s P180 million lots.

Osmeña said that if the landswap pushes through and the city would own the lots, “the City can be very reasonable instead of putting this ultimatum. If the city owns it, we’ll be very gentle with them…We will stretch the law. Give them a chance. There is plenty of time to work it out.”

He added that although there are those who can afford, there is still a big chunk of beneficiaries who can not afford. But he said the city can make them choose monthly amortization that is affordable to them. Osmeña said there are other options available for the residents, like partnership with the city government, or extended loan payments.

Last Thursday, AJ Castillo, president of the Skyview Park Homeowners Association in Busay, hit what he said was false information being spread by those in favor of the landswap, such as the supposed six-months period for them to pay.

“We would like to clarify these false information. Una sa tanan, dili tinuod na six months ra ang gihatag sa amoa nga panahon aron makabayad,” she said. (It’s not true we are only given six months to pay.)

Castillo said that the six months is the time for them to process documents with the financing institution. It will be the financing institution such as Pag-IBIG fund or Social Housing and Finance (SHF) that will pay the Capitol. The beneficiaries will then pay the financing institutions depending on the terms that will be agreed upon. 

Another 93-1 beneficiary, Cirillo Bugtai, said that he and others are amenable to the price given to them because they will have to pay P11,000 per square meter although the current market value of their lots in Tejero is P20,000 per square meter. - THE FREEMAN