Tommy accuses Gwen of politicking for imposing 93-1 loan ultimatum

Local

FORMER Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña condemned the Cebu Provincial Government’s March 7 deadline for 93-1 residents to finalize their Pag-Ibig Fund housing loan applications, calling it a political maneuver ahead of the May 2025 elections.

He accused Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia of using the ultimatum to intimidate residents who have fought for land ownership for decades.

More than 20 residents from the 93-1 communities expressed their frustration and fear, saying they struggled to meet the financial and documentary requirements for the housing loan.

The provincial government’s ultimatum, issued through Memorandum 21-2025, warned that those who failed to complete their application by March 7 would lose their opportunity to own the land they had occupied for years.

One resident recalled Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s campaign promise of a “best Christmas ever” for 93-1 residents, questioning why the situation remained unresolved months later.

She asked whether the promise had been genuine or merely a holiday gesture.

Osmeña dismissed the ultimatum as a bluff, predicting that Garcia would extend the deadline to maintain political leverage.

He argued that the 93-1 land dispute had already been settled through the 2018 land swap agreement between the Cebu City Government and the Cebu Provincial Government.

He described the ultimatum as deceitful, stating that Garcia had misled the public before and would do so again. He expressed sympathy for the 93-1 residents, saying they had fought for land ownership for 50 years but lacked political allies willing to defend them.

He added that if Archival won the election, he would push the province to return the land titles, ensuring the deal’s completion.

The 93-1 issue traces back to a 2016 memorandum of

agreement signed by Osmeña and then-Governor Hilario Davide III, which aimed to transfer ownership of 32 hectares of provincial land in various Cebu City barangays.

In exchange, Cebu City agreed to turn over several properties, including a 2.5-hectare lot in the South Road Properties (SRP), a 3.3-hectare block in Barangay Mabolo, and a nine-hectare property in Consolacion.

However, Governor Garcia withdrew from the agreement, citing a Commission on Audit (COA) report that flagged discrepancies.

The Provincial Board later rescinded the MOA, leading the province to implement a Pag-Ibig Fund-backed housing loan program instead.

The program requires residents to amortize the cost of the land over 30 years while the provincial government receives payments based on the fair market value.

Archival, who is running for mayor, called on 93-1 residents to take legal action against Mayor Garcia for failing to enforce the 2018 land swap deal.

He pointed out that he had sponsored a resolution in November 2024 urging the mayor to implement the agreement, which the City Council unanimously approved.

However, the mayor had taken no action.

Archival said the mayor’s inaction showed a lack of support for 93-1 residents.

Mayor Garcia has argued that the land swap deal is no longer enforceable because the province withdrew its participation.

He assured that the City Government continues to assist the 93-1 residents and plans to meet with them soon to discuss their concerns.(MyTVCebu)