Luigi gets council nod to buy relocation lot

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City Council has authorized Mayor Gabriel Luigi Quisumbing to negotiate, offer to buy, and sign the deed of sale for the purchase of the "best suitable site" where the remaining fire victims in Barangays Guizo and Mantuyong will be relocated.

"It is necessary to give him the necessary authority to negotiate and offer to buy as well as sign the deed of sale for the purchase of the lot," says Councilor Nilo Seno, who chairs the committee on laws and ordinances.

In his report, Seno said the committee acknowledges the efforts exerted by the city government to expedite the transfer of the families displaced by the fire last year.

Last April, only 359 out of the 657 fire victims received their permanent allotted lots at the 9.2-hectare relocation site in Guizo and Mantuyong. Each beneficiary has an equal lot share of 28 square meters.

The remaining 298 fire victims are yet to be relocated until the city finds the perfect site.

Quisumbing earlier said he needed the council’s approval for the city to purchase additional property to accommodate those who cannot return to their original residential area.

The mayor further assured those who will be relocated outside the city that they will have an advantage for employment, road networks, and access to electricity and water.

The beneficiaries, however, were told that they should execute an affidavit of undertaking stating that they are barred from selling, assigning, or transferring the lot given to them by the city to any person by way of legal succession.

In 1998, the city government, under then mayor Alfredo Ouano, took the initiative in addressing the housing problem of urban poor settlers, represented by the Federation of Mandaue Community Urban Poor Inc., and allowed them to settle in the 9.2-hectare property in Barangays Guizo and Mantuyong. (FREEMAN)