Cebu City council aspirant vows to resolve 93-1 issue once reelected

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Mary Ann de los Santos, seeking for reelection to the Cebu City council vows to resolve the decades-old 93-1 land dispute between Cebu City and the province of Cebu involving informal settlers occupying provincial lots within the city.

Around 5,000 families have been occupying the 93-1 lot owned by the Cebu provincial government for over 30 years already, but until now the controversial lot has yet to be awarded to them.

"Aside from health and education, I want to finish 93-1. Why? I am from Lahug and the biggest beneficiary of this is from Lahug because there are 11 sitios affected,” De los Santos said. This is a concern that hounds De los Santos to no end.

In 1993, the Cebu provincial government enacted SP Ordinance 93-1, apportioning several parcels of land that it owned for direct sale to its actual occupants.

In August 2018, the 93-1 land swap deal was previously signed by former mayor Tomas Osmeña and former governor and now vice governor Hilario “Junjun” Davide III.  This was voided after the Commission on Audit (COA) found that the two local government units entered into such deal without prior consent from state auditors.

During late Cebu City mayor Edgardo Labella’s administration, the deed of donation and acceptance of the properties involved in the deal could not be implemented because of legal issues.

"We are now 2022. Ang katong nag-ugmad ana in 1993, I'm sure patay na katong mga lola, lolo nya gipasa na sa next generation, anak karon gipasa sa apo because that was 29 years ago," recalled De los Santos, who was a Cebu City councilor for two consecutive terms starting in 2013.

De los Santos emphasized that the primordial objective of the 93-1 is to give land to the landless and home for the homeless. That is something she will work on vigorously with great resolve and conviction once given another chance to serve the people of Cebu City.(Photos: Robby Alugar)