Solely for 93-1 residents: Council suggests help desk

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council yesterday pushed for the establishment of a Division of the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) help desk that is solely intended to address concerns of city residents who are beneficiaries of Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

This came after the legislative body approved City Councilor Rey Gealon’s resolution urging the Office of the Mayor to establish the “93-1 Help Desk,” resume talks on the 93-1 issue, and create a timeline for milestones in negotiations for information and guidance of the said residents.

PO 93-1, which the Cebu Provincial Board enacted in 1993, mandated that city residents living in Cebu Province-owned lots in Cebu City pay an amortization for the lots they occupied. When the deadline came, however, most failed to either start or finish their payment, prompting the Capitol to initiate procedures to take back the lots.

The lots, approximately around 51 hectares, are located in barangays included under this ordinance are Apas, Busay, Capitol Site, Kasambagan, Kalunasan, Lahug, Mabolo, Tejero, Kamputhaw, Lorega San Miguel, and Luz.

In a privilege speech during their session yesterday, Gealon recalled that it was just a few weeks ago when 93-1 residents appeared before the Council to plead for their homes and seek the enforcement of the deed of donation executed by the Cebu City government and the Cebu provincial government in August 2018.

It was learned, though, that the Cebu Provincial Board already nullified the agreement.

To recall, in December 2016, Osmeña and then-Governor Hilario Davide III, signed a Memorandum of Agreement for a land swap.

Gealon said the agreement came with the condition of full amortization within two years. He said that thought a 10-year extension was granted, it lapsed in 2014 without any settlement.

“The issue spanning three decades has already challenged multiple administrations, both from the province and the city, and sparked endless negotiations,” he said.

He added that the 93-1 residents, many of whom have poured their life savings into their homes, “deserve fairness, compassion, and a path toward secure land tenure.”

Gealon further explained that over the years, the 93-1 residents have faced multiple ordeals, such as uncertain land tenure, protracted negotiations between government units, financial challenges in regularizing ownership, complex and slow legal and administrative processes, and fear of relocation and community displacement.

“The issues faced by the 93-1 residents involve the interplay of legal, financial, and political complexities that require the creation of an office dedicated to addressing their concerns,” said Gealon.

In line with this, Gealon recommended that an office be established to streamline the processes involved in documentation, negotiation, and land distribution for the 93-1 lots.

He said this office would serve as a direct channel of communication between the local government and the affected families, “rather than leaving them to navigate the complexities of law, finance, and bureaucracy alone.”

“Providing 93-1 residents with a secure stake in the city’s future is not charity—it is justice and recognition of their longstanding contributions to our local economy, culture, and social fabric,” said Gealon. — /RHM (FREEMAN)