QUITAIN (Ivy Tejano)
DAVAO CITY – A Davao City councilor is reviewing the status of government-owned properties amid findings that no committee hearings had previously addressed the matter.
Committee on City-Owned Real Properties chairperson Councilor J. Melchor Quitain Jr., during the Pulong-Pulong sa Dabawenyos media forum on Tuesday, Sept. 23, noted that although the inventory is regularly updated, some properties remain untitled due to deceased donors and missing land titles.
He said his committee has conducted two meetings with the City Planning and Development Office and the Task Force on the Inventory of Real Properties (REPTAF) to discuss the inventory.
“I asked them to prepare another version of the inventory that shows the status of each property so that we will know exactly where things stand,” Quitain said.
He said the committee asked City Planning to review the list and identify which properties are optimum for government utilization, such as schools, infirmary, and public markets.
“The inventory is extensive, and many properties are idle and unused. That is why it is crucial for the City Planning to review it and recommend potential uses,” the councilor added.
While an initial list is already available, Quitain asked for a more detailed inventory to include untitled lots, properties occupied by informal settlers, and those with legal disputes.
The councilor pointed out that despite regular updates to the inventory by the REPTAF, there is still a need to address those untitled properties for the city’s continuous development.
Quitain said they have scheduled another committee hearing on Oct. 15 for the report presentation by the City Planning and Development Office and the City Legal Office.
He said the inventory lists hundreds of city-owned properties and will be distributed to councilors for district-level review after the City Planning issues its recommendations.
Quitain said the purpose of the committee hearing is to make sure councilors are informed of the properties’ status to enable them to propose projects that will benefit the city.