A way to solve barangay boundary disputes

I was shocked to have been told that the barangay hall of Barangay Busay, the very seat of its government, is built outside of its territorial boundaries. I do not really know if this information is correct but this village-owned government building is allegedly erected on a portion of land within the geographical limits of Barangay Apas. So, if this is a fact, we have the incredible, nay anomalous, situation of the barangay hall of Busay located in Barangay Apas. Whew!

I also learned that when the officials of Apas noticed this encroachment into their barangay (while the building was still being constructed), they brought it to the attention of the former mayor. They wanted his help prevent a territorial incursion of some sort because they believed that it was unjust that a portion of their barangay be effectively sliced off and ceded without any form of compensation to the adjacent village. But, the former mayor accordingly just told them not to make any fuzz because they all then belonged to one political group and a territorial dispute might just be the opportunity any opposing group of politicians was waiting for. In other words, political convenience rather than just cause was the main consideration in upholding an illegal act.

Now, here is more disturbing piece of information. Barangay Lahug also claims that the site where Barangay Busay built its barangay hall is within its boundaries. According to Lahug officials, this is not a part of Apas and that the latter is but a pretender. So, the eventual situation is that Busay built its barangay hall within the territory of Apas, which is also within the territory of Lahug!  Pastilan ka pagka gubot.

This territorial dispute is not the sole problem of Busay-Apas-Lahug. There are also other barangays with unresolved contradicting claims of jurisdiction. Lahug, yes, Lahug, is locked in dispute with Luz. Another example. The claims of at least four barangays namely Luz, Mabolo, Hippodromo and Kamputhaw on which portions of the Cebu Business Park, Ayala, if you may, fall within jurisdictions are unsettled.

Here is still another example. Barangay Banilad officials planted markers somewhere nor far from the University of Cebu indicating the southern limits of their boundary. It might have been the reason why the administration the school would address their campus as UC-Banilad. But, old timers of Barangay Kasambagan sing a different tune. According to them, their barangay is separated from Banilad by a natural boundary and this is the Mahiga Creek. Certainly, the marker placed by Banilad officials ate into the territory of Kasambagan by a length of no less than a hundred meters.

The time has come for the Cebu City Sangguniang Panlungsod to act on these concerns. Throughout the city, many barangays are in territorial disputes with one another, some of which were filed with the city council for years. It is true that there were committees constituted to solve the controversies, but they failed to come up with final resolutions.

I say that this is now the right time because, by July, the present city council will have been in position for one year. The new councilors have very well adjusted to the demands of their office. Some of those who were re-elected in 2013 are enjoying their last term. The combative positions assumed by members of the two conflicting political groups have somehow mellowed. These councilors are prepared to embrace an opportunity for them to work together in order to accomplish what may easily be considered as a legacy.

But, solving the disputes is going to be messy process. Apart from the fact that it engenders enmity rather friendliness among officials of contending villages, basic documents proving original boundaries are impossible to find.  It is better that the city council drops all conflicts and proceeds to draft a new ordinance defining the boundaries of barangays once and for all. The sanggunian may use the existing known and outer limits of barangays as guide. To avoid future contests, it has to consider natural borders like roads and waterways as common boundaries. Perhaps, the bigger barangays may be reduced in size in order to upgrade the smaller ones. These and other tools are available. Whatever is needed is the resolve this issue, the sanggunian, being empowered by the Local Government Code,  has to do it now. End.

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