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Amid the political noise, a crucial dialogue is scheduled between officials of the University of the Philippines-Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC) and Lahug settlers displaced by last month's fire over their continued stay in school property.
As of presstime, Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann delos Santos proposed two solutions. One is a proposal for Lahug to lease the property in favor of the fire victims. The second is an outright purchase of the land.
While both options seem reasonable, Lahug would probably have a difficult time convincing UP officials to part with the land in view of the university?s development plans for their 13-hectare, largely unused donated estate. A UP lawyer disclosed that plans include an information technology hub there, since computer science is the proposed flagship program for the Visayas campus.
In this respect, Lahug has an ally in the Cebu City government after Mayor Tomas Osmeña threatened to take back a five-hectare donation to UP in the reclamation zone of the South Road Properties.
He sees the IT hub idea as a duplication of the purpose of the SRP lot donation, which is intended for an MBA graduate school to be run by UP as a come-on for IT locators there.
Despite not seeing eye to eye in politics, the mayor and Delos Santos agree, for now, to take the side of the settlers against eviction.
The city government even asked vice presidential aspirant Sen. Mar Roxas to intercede in behalf of the settlers.
UP, the national university, has it own proposal. Lawyers have suggested a three-way lease agreement, which would bind the settlers, as well as the city government to collect payments from occupants.
It's an obvious but legitimate ploy that shifts the burden and avoids the hassle of directly dealing with illegal settlers and the obligation ? whose? ? of finding a relocation site.
Now that Delos Santos and Osmeña have filed their certificates of candidacy, it?s important to negotiate terms at the soonest possible time.
It?s almost Christmas, a season nobody should be spending out the streets if one can help it. And candidates will soon be too engrossed with their campaign stomp to pay attention to this.
But an unseen player can also tip the balance in favor of the settlers - the Province of Cebu, which donated the property over 60 years ago. Since Delos Santos is chummy with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, we don?t discount a gesture of mutual aid.
It won't be difficult convincing Garcia to play Santa Claus to the settlers, though Mayor Osmeña may skewer her intentions as political upmanship.
In the season of politics and Christmas, it?s the perfect time for generosity and for candidates to play Santa.
