Land titles for public schools hastened

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has forged an agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to hasten its still ongoing effort to title lands occupied by public elementary and secondary schools nationwide but have yet to be registered and titled to DepEd.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus and DPWH Secretary Victor Domingo recently signed an agreement to facilitate the prompt issuance of clearances required for the titling process.

“We need to address this issue on school titling urgently to ensure that school operations are not disrupted and our children will not be displaced,” Lapus said.

Lapus said that the titling of public schools will protect them from encroachment, segregation, illegal occupation, and adverse claims of ownership by other individuals or parties.

“It will contribute to further improvement of the public school system,” he said.

In 2007, DepEd signed an agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). 

The agreement stipulated that DENR shall be responsible for the technical output which includes the survey of public and privately owned lands covered by Deeds and Donation, field validation, and preparation of draft proclamations for approval by the President.

DAR, for its part, shall facilitate the issuance of the Deeds of Transfer of school sites that are located in resettlement areas and Landed Estates, which it administers.