Dacer bares alleged land overpricing try

By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents

COUNCILOR Alexander Dacer on Monday alleged that there was an attempt to overprice a 10-hectare property in Lumbia for a proposed resettlement site for survivors of the 2011 typhoon Sendong devastation. Dacer, chairman of the city council’s committee on subvisions and landed estate, made this allegation after local legislators exchanged heated words as an offshoot on an appeal from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the cooperation of local officials so that Japanese aid could be released for the Sendong survivors.This came after Virginia Cordona, crisis intervention unit head of the DSWD in the region, told the city council that too much bureaucracy has delayed for more than two years the release of a P54.5-million aid from the Japan government. The fund, she said, was needed to build shelters for over 700 families who were left homeless in December 2011. Cordona appealed to the city council to allow Mayor Oscar Moreno to sign a memorandum of agreement with the DSWD. She said city hall also needs to provide some 10 hectares for a relocation site where 722 houses would be built with aid from Japan.

She said it would be a joint project of the Japanese government, DSWD and the local government so that Sendong survivors who have not been given shelter aid could finally receive housing units. Cordona said the matter has been in Dacer’s committee for over two years already. “One of the requirements is for the city government to secure a lot for the project site. Another is to secure resolutions coming from the city council, endorsing the housing project. The site should be fully developed with suitable roads and prepared by the city government,” she said. Cordona said the DSWD only has three more months left to implement the project, adding she was worried of forfeiture. Dacer, for his part, said the committee suspended discussions on the proposed project after its members found out that the planned project site in Lumbia was overpriced by at least P65 per square meter. He said the proposed site was also found unsuitable for a housing project because of its hilly terrain.

“When we found out that there was overpricing, [the broker] no longer returned. It was overpriced by not less than P65 per square meter,” Dacer alleged. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas blew his top and exchanged heated words with Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr. after the latter accused the city council of insincerity and inaction. “The Japanese are better because they have shown pity for the Sendong survivors. It is ironic because we are the ones who are not sincere in helping the typhoon victims,” Lao said. Lao said Dacer’s committee and the city council majority have been intentionally sitting on the proposed project for Sendong survivors. He said Dacer’s committee should act on it, and submit its recommendation to the city council within two months.

Irked, Acenas cautioned Lao, and asked: “Unsay inyong pagto-o, ang majority dili sincere?” As Acenas tongue-lashed Lao, the councilor raised a hand and stood up but was not allowed by the angry vice mayor. “I’m still talking, Councilor Lao, please,” Acenas said. The city council referred the matter to Dacer’s committee and asked it to see if the Lumbia property should be bought or not. The committee was given until August to make its recommendation.