Binay & Gov: "Solution to 93-1 issue found"

CEBU, Philippines - There is now a so-called “acceptable and multi-faceted solution” in the Provincial Ordinance 93-1 issue affecting thousands of informal settlers in the province-owned lot situated in Cebu City.

This was dangled yesterday by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia as final meeting is scheduled next week between the Province, City of Cebu and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Binay and Garcia attended the 52nd Charter Anniversary of Toledo City but they did not talk about the issue.

Garcia told reporters that the solution was arrived at after a series of meetings between the representatives of the Province, City and HUDCC.

Binay confirmed the solution on 93-1 issue, but like Garcia, he refused to give details.

Last year, Binay proposed for Cebu City government to buy the land from the Province through the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) with the National Housing Authority as program originator to address the long-running conflict over lots covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

Binay said the scheme was better than the earlier proposal of former mayor Tomas Osmeña to swap the lots for other lands owned by Cebu City.

Binay also mentioned in his letter to Mayor Michael Rama the availability of a P78 million poverty alleviation fund from the NHA, which the city could use for the construction of medium-rise buildings in the coastal areas.

There is also P12 million from the Regional Resettlement Fund which the city could use for the development of resettlement sites.

Garcia earlier said the Provincial Government and the City of Cebu are sitting down together to formulate possible solutions to address the “hugely disparate and contrasting situations” in some areas covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1 after NHA submitted to the Capitol its report.

The NHA conducted a socio-economic survey on more than 2,025 households that are actually occupying in province-owned lots in barangays Kalunasan, Busay, Capitol Site and Camputhaw.

Garcia found the report complete, with pictures of “lucrative commercial establishments already set up on certain areas that were supposed to have been apportioned for residential purposes for the urban poor.”

The report includes the actual profiling of the dwellers, whether or not they were original beneficiaries, absentee beneficiaries or informal settlers already occupying areas that had originally been intended for other persons named in the list of beneficiaries.

Garcia explained that the report is contrasting in the sense that while it is admitted that there are areas that are in fact truly deserving of more liberal policies because the occupants actually needed more help from government, there are also areas where some probably abused the privileges that should have been accorded only to the underprivileged in accordance with the original intent of 93-1.

The areas being surveyed have a total of 879 lots, the occupants of which are supposed to have one lot each. But the survey showed 2,025 households currently occupying the lots.

Funded by HUDCC, the NHA was able to identify informal settlers aside from original occupants.

Garcia said the NHA report shall be the basis to “delineate those that may qualify under the socialized housing program or those who are just social” in a meeting next week and to determine what assistance the government could extend to the beneficiaries.

Garcia is determined to resolve the issue on 93-1 before her term ends in 2013. (FREEMAN)