Capitol forms TWG to resolve 93-1 issues

CEBU, Philippines — A technical working group (TWG) is set to be formed to settle the remaining issues surrounding the proposed 93-1 land swap deal, including the valuation gap between Cebu Provincial Government and Cebu City properties.

Provincial Administrator Ace Durano said the unresolved issue on property valuation remains the “most critical” concern before the long-discussed land swap agreement can move forward.

“It was agreed between the Governor and the Provincial Board that a technical working group will be created, with some board members as members of the TWG,” said Durano in an interview.

He said the TWG will continue discussions with Cebu City on the proposed swapping of Capitol-owned lots covered under the disputed 93-1 ordinance.

“The pending issue right now is to agree the valuations kay of course it is required by COA regulations if there will be a swapping, it should be value per value,” Durano said.

Durano revealed that based on recent valuation records, Capitol properties involved in the proposed swap now have higher valuations than the properties being offered by Cebu City.

“Ang valuation sa yuta mao ang most critical issue that is pending nga ang swapping is value per value,” he said.

“Based man gud sa recent valuation on record, mas taas og valuation ang property sa provincial government compared sa valuation sa Cebu City government properties for valuation,” he added.

Because of this, Durano said there is a need to reevaluate the properties included in the original proposal since conditions and values have already changed over time.

“Maong kinahanglan jud either i-reevaluate kay kaning mga properties indicated, since it was offered before, naa naman say kausaban,” he said.

He said both parties must eventually agree on acceptable valuations before the swap can proceed.

“That’s the remaining issue that needs to be finalized — unsay acceptable nga valuations sa provincial government nga gi offer sa Cebu City, and also for Cebu City to accept the valuations as well of the properties owned by the provincial government nga maoy i-swap sa Cebu City,” he said.

Durano said the TWG has not yet been formally convened, as the Capitol is still preparing an executive order for its creation.

The TWG will include representatives from the Provincial Assessor’s Office, Provincial Legal Office, Provincial General Services Office (PGSO), the Office of the Governor, and three to four members of the Provincial Board.

Durano explained that the PGSO and its real estate division are needed because they currently manage the properties involved in the transaction.

He also believes the creation of the TWG could help speed up the process of finalizing the agreement.

One-Third Of Saleable Lots Already Sold

Durano clarified that not all of the original 93-1 property can still be included in the proposed swap since a portion has already been sold to beneficiaries.

Records showed that the original 51.12-hectare property now has a total saleable area of only 46.02 hectares.

Of that figure, 14.09 hectares have already been sold, representing 33.61 percent of the saleable area.

A total of 1,473 lots have already been fully paid for and covered by Deeds of Absolute Sale.

“Pasabot ana dili na tibook ang yuta. Kahibaw na ang Cebu City ana,” Durano said.

He stressed that only the remaining unsold portions will be covered by the proposed land swap arrangement.

“Ang ma swap, katong wa mabaligya,” he said.

Durano said some of the unsold areas are still occupied by residents, and engagement with occupants will continue even if management is eventually transferred to Cebu City.

He added that placing the properties under Cebu City administration may make management more practical since the occupants are residents of the city. Durano noted that the property lies within Cebu City’s jurisdiction, making administration “more convenient and easier.”

The 93-1 controversy stemmed from a 1993 provincial ordinance that allowed long-time occupants of Capitol-owned lots in Cebu City to purchase the properties they had been occupying for years.

Despite several extensions granted through the years, many beneficiaries failed to complete payments within the prescribed period, leaving ownership issues unresolved.

In 2018, then-Governor Hilario Davide III and then Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña entered into a land swap agreement aimed at resolving the decades-old dispute.

Under the proposed arrangement, Cebu City would acquire the 93-1 properties in exchange for city-owned lots needed by the provincial government.

The agreement sought to help urban poor beneficiaries secure legal ownership while allowing the Capitol to acquire strategic properties for government use.

However, in 2019, former Governor Gwendolyn Garcia rescinded the deal and pursued another approach involving the Pag-IBIG Fund to assist qualified beneficiaries in financing their payments.

Now, under Governor Pamela Baricuatro and Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, discussions on reviving the land swap agreement have resumed in hopes of finally settling the long-standing 93-1 issue. — / (IHM) (FREEMAN)