Gwen: Swap deal for 93-1 ‘irrelevant’

THE decision of the Cebu City Council to revive a land swap offer to exchange Black 27 in the North Reclamation Area for province-owned lots in Cebu City was rejected.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the offer has become “irrelevant”.

In a press conference yesterday, Garcia said the Province of Cebu already negotiated an an agreement with occupants of lots covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

“We must appreciate the concern of the city council for the welfare of these families occupying what used to be known as93-1 lots,” she said.

Homeowners association in these lots already signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Capitol last May for the acquisition of the land.

An offer was made for homeowners associations to buy their homelots through direct sale or through the government’s housing program like the Community Mortgage Program.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who also heads the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) witnessed the MOA signing. HUDCC oversees the government’s housing program.

Under the MOA, urban poor families occupying the lots have until November this year to complete the acquisition.

In the Capitol scheme, the lots will be bought by homeowners association through long-term loans through the Community Mortgage Program or the Social Housing Finance Corp.

Garcia said 80 percent of the homeowners are in the final stages of acquiring their lots.