LGU Butuan strengthens housing security, awards lots to over 500 families
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — For years, Mary Ann Figura lived with uncertainty and fear that her family could be evicted again at any moment from the land they occupied in Barangay Bancasi.
Like many families struggling to secure a place they could truly call their own, Figura endured the painful experience of displacement after the owner of the land they previously occupied decided to get the property. But through the city government’s housing program, her family was given a new opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Now, more than 500 beneficiaries from 14 barangays and various relocation communities and subdivisions across Butuan City officially received their Certificates of Lot Award (CoLA) during the Committee on Lot Awards Meeting and Mass Awarding Ceremony held on May 12 in Barangay Doongan.
“I am so happy that the city government saw our struggles and difficulties. Our previous house was demolished when the landowner wanted to use the property. The city government allocated a 120-square-meter lot to us on June 2, 2021, and after five years of waiting, I am finally holding our Certificate of Lot Award,” Figura shared.
“I am very grateful to the City Mayor, the City Housing and Homesite Development Department, and everyone who helped make this possible,” she added.
The CoLA serves as an official document confirming beneficiaries as legitimate awardees of government-provided lots. It is also the basis of securing a tax declaration and eventually processing the property’s title.
For these beneficiaries, the CoLA is not just a simple piece of paper they received – it symbolizes more than land ownership, as it represents security, dignity, and the fulfillment of a long-awaited dream of finally having a place and land to call their own.
In his message, Lawrence Lemuel H. Fortun assured residents that the city government remains committed to expanding housing opportunities for qualified Butuanons.
“The city government of Butuan will continue striving to ensure that families in need of homes and lots will be provided with them, as long as proper protocols are followed,” Mayor Fortun said.
He also reminded beneficiaries to comply with responsible payment schemes, emphasizing that through the CHHDD, the city will continue to implement an orderly and fair system of lot distribution to protect the rights of qualified beneficiaries, giving Butuanons a safe and secure housing environment.
With the continued support of partner agencies, the city government also aims to further strengthen and develop more than 100 relocation communities across the city, reinforcing its commitment to providing safer and more secure communities for Butuanons. (MFC, PIA Caraga with a report from Butuan City PIO)