A plan for a part of 93-1
We have heard of the signing of the document that would have effected the transfer of the ownership of the real estate properties of Cebu Province called 93-1 to Cebu City, in exchange of valuable city assets. I like to believe that His Honor, Cebu City Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña, and his city planners are now busy formulating the kind of program designed to allow the occupants of these parcels of land to finally acquire these lots and put an end to the decades-old problem called squatting. After all, that seemed to be the noble objective of this land deal.
I am aware that there are parts of these lots where the following conditions are observable. First, the settlers may find it quite difficult to pay the reasonable value and second, the development of these areas poses tremendous challenge such that it cannot be left to the efforts of homeowners.
I hope I will not be misunderstood if I highlight this situation. Without meaning to cast aspersions to the economic condition of these settlers, I can say that in these sites, many heads of these families are more occupied with finding meals to put on their tables rather than getting the money to pay for the land. The city administration must acknowledge that looking for the kind of funds with which to pay for the land is not the occupants' priority. To them, this ideal of owning the land can remain but a dream.
These sites are large in terms of acreage. Some of them are of hilly terrain while there are flat lands too. When the settlers started coming in, they imagined that they were occupying areas that were quite far from business activities such that their settlement could not attract attention. At present, every square meter is occupied.
In this condition, access to the inner portions is difficult. The foot trails are quite narrow. Homeowners themselves devote lesser efforts to improving their houses. Consequently, development is slow. These areas appear to be blighted and if viewed from the air, they show dramatic disparity between the so-called rich and the poor sectors of society.
With these conditions, the desirable scheme for the city to adopt should not be outright sale. Selling the occupied lots, payment of which is already a problem (as we have shown above), only perpetuates the intolerable congestion that is prevailing. To prevent the continued perpetuation of this undesirable condition, it is suggested that a portion each of these areas be developed into multi-rise structures where the settlers may be accommodated. Such vertical movement can free some parts and make them available for infrastructure projects like road networks, schools, markets and parks.
Serious planning which I hope is now in the pipeline, is necessary. It cannot be postponed for political goals or delayed for any reason if the nobility of the purpose of this land deal were to be achieved. People are waiting for a concrete plan especially as huge public funds are used to propel this real estate exchange.
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