City mayor now allowed to negotiate for 93-1 lots

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Council has officially given the green light for Mayor Nestor Archival to negotiate and sign on behalf of the Cebu City Government the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Province of Cebu in relation to the implementation and resolution of matters involving Provincial Ordinance No. 93-1.

This stems from a resolution by Councilor Alvin Arcilla, which the council approved in its most recent regular session.

The resolution said Cebu City and Cebu Province have a long-standing issue regarding the implementation of 93-1, which essentially affects the disposition of provincial lots within Cebu City's territorial jurisdiction.

It noted that the previous MOA entered into by both the city and the province was revoked by Cebu Province through a resolution, “leaving the issue unresolved.”

Arcilla’s resolution also cited that the Cebu City Government recognizes the urgency of providing secure tenure and equitable housing to underprivileged citizens occupying the affected lots as mandated by law.

Under the new administrations, Arcilla said the Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu City Government should now express renewed interest in working together for the benefit of affected constituents “in the spirit of comity, unity, and good governance.”

In line with this, the Office of the Mayor, in coordination with Cebu Province, has prepared an MOU to guide the preliminary discussions and technical processes toward a new agreement over the 93-1 lots.

With the approval of the council, Archival is now authorized to negotiate and sign, on behalf of the Cebu City Government, the MOU with Cebu Province, represented by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, in relation to the implementation and resolution of matters involving Provincial Ordinance No. 93-1.

Aside from this, Archival was also asked to ensure that the terms of the MOU reflect the policy of the city government. It added that this is “to promote social justice, legal settlement, and transparent governance, with a clear objective of reaching a formal and equitable agreement in coordination with the Province.”

As outlined in the MOU, it was on December 7, 2016, when Cebu Province and Cebu City entered into a MOA for a land swap, in which Cebu Province agreed to exchange its remaining unsold or forfeited lots under Provincial Ordinance No. 93-1, along with three additional parcels of land, for certain properties owned by Cebu City.

The said MOA indicated that Cebu Province, through the Office of the Governor, executed a deed of donation on August 3, 2018, which conveyed the remaining unsold or forfeited lots under the 93-1 ordinance.

In turn, Cebu City accepted the donation and conveyed its own identified properties to the province.

However, in 2023, the Cebu City Council revoked the MOA and the deed of donation executed in favor of the city, citing the failure to continue negotiations to reach a mutually-acceptable conclusion.

During the 2025 elections, the issue of implementing Provincial Ordinance No. 93-1 resurfaced, affecting lands in 11 barangays in Cebu City: Apas, Busay, Camputhaw, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Kasambagan, Lahug, Lorega, Luz, Mabolo, and Tejero, covering around 31 hectares and approximately 4,000 residential home lots.

This new MOU, as cited, will reaffirm the mutual intent of both the city and the province to pursue and discuss the objectives of 93-1 and its amendments, to implement comprehensive measures that uphold the principles of social justice, secure tenure for qualified beneficiaries, and advance equitable socialized housing programs for the residents of Cebu. - Iris Hazel Mascardo/BRP