For 52-year-old Maria Indac, the long wait is over.
The Cebu provincial government and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the start of the negotiation for the sale of lots in four Cebu City barangays covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1.
Indac, a resident of barangay Kalunasan, said they had long been waitig for this, security from eviction from their homes and a chance to acquire the land they have been occupying.
Indac has been living in her lot since 1989.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and HUDCC chairman, Vice President Jejomar Binay led the signing of the agreement at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) yesterday.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Councilor Edgar Labella and Provincial Board (PB) member Alex Binghay also signed as witnesses to the MOU.
Five homeowners associations, officials of different financing institutions witnessed the signing.
The associations present were Cebu Skyview Village Homeowners Association, Langob Riverside Homeowners Association, Valle Estrella Homeowners Association, South Bus Terminal Homeowners Association and Kalunasan United Livelihood Association.
In a press conference, Binay called the MOU a ‘breakthrough’.
“Finally, meron na kaming magagawa sa 93-1, thanks to Governor Garcia and Mayor Rama. Ngayon, nagkasundo na uli, reopening ng pagbabayad at talagang magbayad kami para matapos ito,” he said.
Binay said that this situation developed because of the openness of each stakeholder.
“Ang maganda dito, there is already a meeting of the minds,” he said.
He said the problem before was the lack of communication but that now, parties are talking.
Garcia thanked the vice president for his support, and said there was “beautiful harmony with the province and the city now”
She said this paves the way for a solution and with it “secuirty for the children, and their children’s children.”
Rama called the agreement the result of the unity of the province and the city government.
Last January, occupants of the province-owned 93-1 lots in barangays Busay, Capitol Site, Camputhaw and Kalunasan were asked to validate the census master list posted in their different barangay halls.
The census formed the basis for the socio-economic survey of the 93-1 lot occupants.
The four barangays are the target for the first quarter of this year to seal a formal agreement, Binay said.
After this, the seven remaining barangays are next. The same process will be followed.
Pag-ibig and the Community Mortgage Program will also help residents in financing the acquisition of the lots.
Since the homeowners could not pay for the lump sum amount, the two agencies would help them pay it and convert it to individual loans for them to pay monthly.
Meanwhile, Councilor Labella said that he didn’t overlap any function as a Cebu City councilor when he signed as a witness to the agreement.
Labella who heads the committee on laws in the City Council said he didn’t overlap the function of the Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of committee on housing.
Vice President Binay said with the election a year away he was also looking at the local political situation in Cebu.
Binay said he was waiting for any announcements from local political leaders.
He said that he had yet to hear from Governor Garcia about her plans for 2013 or whether she would really be running for senator.
“We have to hear from her. Inaayos pa yata niya ang mga problems dito sa province of Cebu (She’s still busy addressing the problems of Cebu) ,” he said.
“Tignan muna natin kung anong action nila. Nandiyan pa ang kanyang mga kapatid at ang kanyang tatay. (We’ll see what action they’ll take. Her father and brother are still there. Let them discuss first among themselves. In the meantime, I think she’s busy,” he added.