DENR-7 gives out close to 5T titles

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7, through the Land Management Services, has distributed a total of 4,765 land titles in Central Visayas as of last month.

In a report released by LMS, Cebu received 648 agricultural patents and 132 residential patents; Bohol had 3,277 and 326, respectively. Negros Oriental had 113 and 125, while Siquijor got 140 agricultural land titles with four residential patents.

Of the total number of land titles awarded, 4,178 were mainly agricultural lands handed in to farmers in the four provinces while the remaining 587 were all residential free patents.

Isabelo R. Montejo, DENR-7 executive director, said that patent issuance and distribution is a priority program of the agency.

 Montejo has directed the provincial and community environment and natural resources officers in the four provinces to strictly observe the required time frame in accepting, processing and releasing of documents to expedite the process.

He added that applications should be acted very promptly in accordance with the existing policies and should not be kept in a drawer and applications with incomplete requirements should be returned immediately with appropriate notifications for the applicant to comply with.

Meanwhile, Montejo reiterated his call to the public to transact only with the authorized personnel and to report immediately any abuses or illegal transactions committed by its personnel particularly on land titling fixing like soliciting a certain amount outside of the required or legal fees

For 2013, the DENR 7 intends to distribute around 22,550 land titles with 19,950 agricultural patents and 2,600 residential patents in the Central Visayas. (FREEMAN)