Declaring the DOST-Region VII Property in Cebu City as Alienable and Disposable to Benefit DRIHOA Members

December 8, 2006

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 581

SEGREGATING THE OCCUPIED PORTION OF THE DOST-REGION VII PROPERTY LOCATED IN BARANGAY LAHUG, CEBU CITY AND DECLARING THE SAME AS ALIENABLE AND DISPOSABLE TO BENEFIT MEMBERS OF THE DRI RIVERBED HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION (DRIHOA)

WHEREAS, Section 8 of Republic Act (RA) 7279, otherwise known as the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992, mandates that government-owned lands which have not been used for the purpose for which they were intended for the past ten (10) years from its effectivity may be disposed of for socialized housing purposes; TDEASC

WHEREAS, the national government or any of its subdivisions, instrumentalities, or agencies, including GOCCs and their subsidiaries are directed under Paragraph 3, Section 2, of EO 131, to give full support and cooperation to HUDCC in the disposition of government-owned lands defined in Section 8 of the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992; 2007plpe

WHEREAS, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has certified that the 38 bona fide occupants belonging to DRI Riverbed Homeowners Association (DRIHOA) have been occupying the 2,213-sqm portion of DOST's 10,000-sqm property in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City for more than twenty (20) years now, even before subject property was acquired;

WHEREAS, DOST has further certified that the occupied portion is impractical to the needs of the Department, while the Department of Health (DOH) certified that the occupied portion is suitable for socialized housing purposes to benefit the members of DRIHOA;

WHEREAS, the DOST has certified that disposing the occupied portion will redound to the benefit of both the government and the bona fide occupants because it will eradicate the presence of squatters within their remaining property and at the same time regularize the tenure of DRIHOA members;

WHEREAS, the Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator of Cebu City has certified that the occupied portion is not within the flood prone area nor affected by any of its planned projects.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. DOST, with the assistance of HUDCC, shall effect the disposition of the occupied portion with an area of two thousand two hundred thirteen (2,213) square meters located in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City to the bona fide occupants thereat.

SECTION 2. A Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC) shall be created to formulate the guidelines and to oversee the implementation of the project, composed of the Department of Science and Technology as Chair, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) as Co-Chair, and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Cebu City, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), and a representative of the People's Organization (PO) in the area, as members.

SECTION 3. The DOST is hereby authorized to enter into appropriate project schemes and contractual arrangements, subject to existing rules and regulations, in the implementation and development of the subject property.

SECTION 4. The DOST is further authorized to provide the funds for the various activities required to implement this Executive Order, including site development and other requirements.

SECTION 5. In the event that any provision hereof is declared invalid by any competent court of tribunal, the other provisions hereof unaffected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 8th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.