Selling, renting of lots in relocation sites banned

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Selling, renting, pawning and even buying awarded lots on the relocation sites of the City Government are now prohibited.

The City Council, in its regular session yesterday, unanimously approved on second and third reading the ordinance, principally authored by Councilor Joshua Alim, penalizing those who convey any lot awarded to qualified beneficiaries in the city's relocation sites.

"Hopefully this is one of the steps to solve problem on informal settlers. Our records show many have availed of the relocation but many also remain squatters until now. We don't know that maybe some of them sell the lots awarded to them or have these rented or pawned," Alim told The FREEMAN.

The councilor said the ordinance will deter the beneficiaries and the prospective buyers or renters of the lots because violators will face fines and penalties. "In order to avoid or prevent the awardees from conveying their awarded lot, and settle again in other places within the city as informal settlers, there is need to pass this ordinance and providing penalties for violation thereof," the ordinance reads.

Alim said the new ordinance will still be signed by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and will take effect 10 days after its publication in a newspaper.

Under the newly-approved ordinance, it shall be unlawful for relocation lot awardee to convey or sell his or her awarded lot for the buyer or transferee to buy or lease it.

Violators, once convicted, shall suffer a maximum of one year imprisonment at the discretion of the court and perpetual disqualification from availing themselves of relocation and housing programs of the city, while the city shall forfeit the subject lot.

The buyer or transferee of the subject lot shall also suffer a maximum imprisonment six months at the discretion of the court and a fine of P5,000 with subsidiary imprisonment in case of non-payment.

The ordinance also prohibits government officials or employees from facilitating the conveyance lest they face prosecution and imprisonment of three to six months.

Alim said beneficiaries can only dispose the relocation lots through hereditary succession or selling these back to the city. 

The records of the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office show that more than 8,000 beneficiaries have already availed themselves of lots at the city's relocation sites while 9,895 are still on the waiting list.

These beneficiaries, after thorough review of their applications and after they are deemed qualified to avail of the relocation lots, sign a contract with the city.

The city government provides relocation sites for the qualified beneficiaries, and these lots, which the city bought for the purpose, are not given for free but beneficiaries are paying for it in subsidized prices.

Republic Act 7279 mandates all local government units to undertake Urban Development and Housing Program and provide underprivileged and homeless citizens access to land and housing. - THE FREEMAN