‘Capitol, beneficiaries agree to sell lots’

Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday that the Capitol and 93-1 lot beneficiaries agreed that the contested lots would be sold.

“We will be doing our best to address the matter.  But at least, for the first time, there is already a consensus on the part of the provincial government and the residents to sell it,” he said.

Binay said it was possible that lot occupants would be asked to pay for their assigned lots through the community mortgage program or low-cost housing scheme.

Binay earlier wrote Mayor Michael Rama to ask that the city make a P50-million goodwill deposit to the provincial government.

The vice president wanted NHA to buy 93-1 lots and sell these to lot occupants through CMP.

“Tinitingnan pa natin what would be the joint decision kung papaano maayos it.  Walang time frame dahil ang iba beneficiaries iba ang gusto.  There may have to be a variation dahil yong iba gusto nga CMP. Yong iba gusto nga low-cost housing (We are still checking what the joint decision would be and how it could be solved. There’s no time frame because some of the beneficiaries have different positions. There would have to be a variation because some would like the CMP while others want low-cost housing),” said Binay who attended  the funeral Mass for Lourdes dela Rama-Osmeña at the Sacred Heart Church yesterday.

Binay met  officials of the 93-1 movement after  the funeral of the Osmeña matriarch and later the wake of Macrina, sister of former councilor Gabriel Leyson in a chapel  at the back of the Sacred Heart Church.

Binay  with Rep. Tomas Osmeña of the south district, former Rep. Raul del Mar of the north district and Councilors Nida Cabrera and Alvin Dizon, chairman of the council’s housing committee, discussed the lot issue with the 93-1 movement.

Binay assured the beneficiaries of representation in meetings over the  problems with the Cebu provincial government.

Binay also told the group led by movement president Boy Guera that he would consider a computation, which they presented to him yesterday, in negotiations with Capitol to determine the pricing of the lots they now occupy.

“Nalipay kaayo mi sa tabang ni Vice President kay consultative ang iyang approach.  Hopefully ma-resolve na gyud ni ang problema,” Guera told Cebu Daily News.

Guera said he presented to Binay their  proposals, including a  request to allow 93-1 beneficiaries with unpaid amortizations to honor their earlier payment in the new computation of dues.

With this, earlier payments would have to be deducted from their new dues and they would only be asked to pay the remaining balance.

Guera also asked Binay to help them appeal to the Capitol to keep the new lots affordable.

Guera was concerned about the increase in lot prices after hearing reports that the Capitol intended to use the zonal valuation of their lots as new basis in the computation of the lot price.

A roadside lot in barangay Luz with a zonal valuation of P12,000 per sq. meter for example would already be sold at P18,000 to lot occupants with the addition of a 50 percent increase.

Guera also cited the National Housing Authority already conducted socioeconomic survey in at least four barangays where 93-1 beneficiaries were located.

However, the survey for the 1,200 93-1 beneficiaries in barangay Luz is still ongoing.

NHA surveyors brought with them survey forms and asked beneficiaries  on their income sources, if they are covered by Pag-ibig and SSS and if they are the original occupants of the lot or they assumed these from original beneficiaries.

Binay told CDN in an interview before their meeting that survey results would determine solutions to the 93-1 woes.