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Smiles and not “bolos” met Capitol officials led by Gov. Gwen Garcia yesterday as she gave out 177 deeds of sale to barangay Luz residents in Cebu City.
The beneficiaries are occupants of the lots included in the provincial ordinance 93-1who have paid in full the amortization for their province-owned lots.
The distribution followed a similar activity in barangay Lahug for qualified beneficiaries.
Garcia said she was pleased that she was met with warm smiles when she visited the barangay before noon .
The reception was different from the residents' reception a few years back for Capitol personnel who visited the area to survey Capitol lots.
She said they were met with “bolos” and “guna” , native bladed instruments, then.
Although he was unable to speak and using a wheelchair, Crisanto Iglesia, 79 , held tight his deed of sale while Garcia spoke to him.
Barangay captain Nida Cabrera said Iglesia and Melencia Pino, 76, are among the original settlers of her barangay.
Governor Garcia said the Capitol would deal separately with occupants who have not paid their amortizations in full and those who never bothered to pay their dues.
“Rest assured that no family will be evicted and no one will be left without a roof over their heads,” she said.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, however, said that the governor was only forced to give out the deeds of sale because of pressure from the beneficiaries.
“She (Garcia) had no choice. They (occupants) were going to take legal action (if she would not release the deeds of sale),” Osmeña told Cebu Daily News in a text message.
In 1993, during the term of Gov. Vicente de la Serna, the provincial board passed ordinance 93-1, which allowed occupants of province-owned lots in barangays Apas, Luz, Busay, Kamputhaw, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Lahug, Lorega, Mabolo, Kasambagan and Tejero in Cebu City a chance to own the properties they occupy.
But after the 2004 deadline for payment of the lots, only 1,000 of the more than 4,000 beneficiaries managed to pay in full their amortizations to Capitol.
On October 2008, Garcia started to distribute the deeds of sale of qualified beneficiaries.
Occupants with pending dues will be dealt with separately.
Yesterday, Garcia with Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez and Provincial Board Members Jose Ma. Gastardo, Wenceslao Gakit and Julian Daan distributed the deeds of sale to the 177 beneficiaries.
