Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has issued Executive Order (EO) 32, creating a Technical Working Group (TWG) to provide legal, technical, and policy support for handling the controversial 93-1 lots and other occupied provincial properties. The EO, signed on May 25, 2026, designates Provincial Legal Officer Guiler Ceniza as chairperson and Investments and Promotions Officer Paulo Uy as co-chairperson.
Composition of the TWG
The TWG includes Provincial Board (PB) Members Raymond Joseph Calderon (committee on provincial and municipal properties), Lakambini Reluya (committee on commerce and industry), and Andrei Duterte (committee on public works, highways and infrastructure). Representatives from the Provincial Planning and Development Office, Provincial Assessor’s Office, and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office are also part of the group.
According to the EO, the participation of PB members aims to strengthen legislative coordination and policy alignment in crafting solutions for residents and stakeholders affected by the disputed properties.
Mandate and Objectives
The newly formed TWG will operate under the Task Force on the 93-1 Lots and Other Provincial Occupied Lots, established through EO 4, Series of 2025. The EO states, “The complexity of the legal, technical, urban planning, socialized housing, and policy issues surrounding the 93-1 lots and other provincial occupied lots necessitates the creation of a dedicated technical working group to assist the task force in the conduct of technical studies, stakeholders coordination, policy formulation and implementation planning.”
The TWG is tasked with conducting legal, technical, and policy studies; consolidating land records and cadastral data; coordinating consultations and negotiations with stakeholders; and formulating legislative and administrative recommendations. It will also prepare technical reports, draft agreements, implementation frameworks, and other documents to support the province’s efforts.
Reviving Stalled Negotiations
The creation of the TWG is expected to strengthen the Provincial Government’s efforts to develop a comprehensive and sustainable approach to resolving longstanding issues involving the 93-1 lots and other occupied provincial properties in Cebu. In a SunStar Cebu report on May 21, the Provincial Government formed the body to revive stalled negotiations with Cebu City over the decades-long dispute, which affects urban poor occupants across 11 barangays.
Provincial Administrator Joseph Felix Mari “Ace” Durano stated that property valuation remains the main issue, as any property exchange between the two local government units must be “value for value.” The move comes after the province withdrew from a 2018 land swap agreement in April 2025.
Background of the 93-1 Lots
Enacted through Provincial Ordinance 93-1 in 1993, the program allows urban poor residents to acquire lots owned by the provincial government across 11 barangays in Cebu City: Busay, Luz, Lahug, Mabolo, Apas, Lorega, Kasambagan, Capitol Site, Tejero, Kamputhaw, and Kalunasan. In August 2018, then Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña and then governor Hilario Davide III signed a major land swap agreement to resolve the issue. The Province agreed to donate 32 hectares of occupied lots to the city in exchange for prime properties, including parcels in the South Road Properties and Mabolo.
In April 2025, then governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced the withdrawal from the 2018 deal due to discrepancies and imposed a deadline limiting eligibility to occupants with active Pag-Ibig Fund housing loan applications.
