Tingting to help resolve 93-1 issue

CEBU, Philippines - Former Cebu governor Vicente “Tingting” dela Cerna would be helping the Cebu City government and the Capitol resolve their differences over the controversial 93-1 lots.

Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella said Dela Cerna would be part of the new Technical Work Group  that would “once and for all” end the issue on province-owned lots occupied by urban poor families in the city.

Labella said Dela Cerna would be a big help in coming up with a resolution addressing the problem since it was during Dela Cerna’s time when the Provincial board enacted Provincial Ordinance 93-1, which allowed residents to buy the province-owned lots they were occupying and granted them five years to pay in full.

He, however, said TWG membership is yet to be finalized by Mayor Michael Rama and Governor Hilario Davide III.

City Councilor Alvin Dizon, who heads the City Council’s committee on housing, recommended the creation of the TWG in response to Vice President Jejomar Binay letter last year.

In that communication, Binay reiterated his commitment to provide technical and financial assistance to enable the actual occupants purchase the lots.

“The committee expresses the same commitment of Binay to help finally resolve the 93-1 lot issue, which affects the security of land tenure of not less than 5,000 urban poor families in Cebu.  It also supports the call for the Provincial Government to reconsider the prices of lots under the expired MOA,” Dizon said.  (FREEMAN)