Council: MOU for housing project needs our approval

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has questioned the legality of an agreement entered into by the City Employees Housing Cooperative, which allegedly did not have the council’s concurrence. 

The cooperative recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a foreign contractor to undertake a proposed medium-rise housing development for up to 4,300 City Hall employees.

Majority floor leader Margarita Osmeña stressed that a cooperative does not have the authority to enter into an agreement with a developer without prior approval from the City Council, especially if the property is owned by the local government unit.

“It doesn’t seem so right because the city owns the property. What gives the cooperative the authority to sign an agreement?” Osmeña said.

Councilor Sisinio Andales agreed saying, “it’s owned by the city government not by the cooperative. You have to have proper authority from the council to peruse it first.”

Human Resource and Development Office (HRDO) chief Atty. Domi-nic Dino who heads the cooperative explained, however, that the MOU was only a “preparatory document” leading to a formal and actual undertaking.

“The MOU will usher the actual joint venture, if and when it is feasible and doable,” he said.

He said the authority was approved by the cooperative’s board and Mayor Michael Rama.

Currently, the cooperative has over 600 members. Of this number, 4,500 are casual, regular and job order employees. The member should be a member of Pag-ibig to avail of the housing program.

Based on the two urban poor resettlement plans, a medium-rise building will be constructed at the lot where the recently demolished Citi Center Commercial Complex used to stand at the corner of Junquera and Sanciangko Streets in Barangay Kamagayan and in Sugbo Homes in Nivel Hills, Barangay Lahug.

Collin Rosell, chief of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said Sugbo Homes, which is around 11 hectares of land, can accommodate at least 500 home lots, while the medium-rise medium costing P37 million can cater to more than 500 individual housing units.

He said each unit at the medium-rise building would cost P750,000. The entire Citi Center Complex covers an area of 7,281 square meters.

The Council said the housing program is a laudable act, but it has to prioritize the “disadvantaged” employees.

“Our employees may have no access to any other housing programs. So, give it to those who needed it most. We support the program but let’s do it right,” Osmeña said.

Councilor Alvin Dizon also said the city government should not forget that there are still 41,000 urban poor families who need resettlement.

“This is the right path to address homelessness for our employees because we are also aware that they don’t have a land of tenure. But, let’s balance things kay ang atong 41,000 urban poor constituents nanginahanglan pud nga gahinan og luna,” he said.

An executive session was conducted Monday to determine how the Council could help in advancing a resettlement project that would give decent, affordable homes to City Hall employees. — (FREEMAN)