DENR ties up with two Southern Leyte towns for land titling

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, based here,  has signed a memorandum of partnership agreement, respectively,  with two towns of Southern Leyte for the establishment and operation of a Land Information Office in their respective municipalities, recently, a DENR-8 report said here today.

DENR-8 Regional Executive Director Leonardo R. Sibbaluca, who signed the MOPAs on behalf of the DENR, in an interview with reporters at his office, here, said that the MOPA signing was held at the DENR Provincial Office in Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Director Sibbaluca informed reporters that the filing of applications for land titling shall soon be accessible right at the doorsteps of the constituents of Malitbog and Libagon towns in Southern Leyte as the municipal mayors of the two municipalities entered into a memorandum of partnership agreements with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region 8, for the establishment and operation of a Land Information Office in their respective municipalities.

Sibbaluca also informed reporters that through the said MOPAs, the LIO will be established and operated in the respective municipalities.  He added that the LIO will be manned by DENR personnel and LGU personnel who will be assigned and trained on land titling procedures. 

“Once operational, the constituents can already file their land title applications and can have other land transactions with the LIO in their municipality, instead of going to the DENR’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices to transact on land matters. 

The DENR came up with this strategy to bring its services closer to the people.  It would be easier for them to secure lot data, maps, and file land title application, thus saving time, money and effort,”  Sibbaluca said.

Sibbaluca expressed optimism that the MOPAs with the two mayors will be successful considering that Mayor Oliver Ranque of Libagon and Mayor Allan Go of Malitbog  assured their full support for the project as it will surely benefit their constituents.

Sibbaluca told reporters that Mayor Oliver  Ranque of Libagon has told him that it is also the  dream of  Mayor Ranque  to have an accessible land titling facilities for his constituents. 

Also, the increase of titled lands in their municipality would translate to an increase in revenue for their municipality in terms of higher collection of real property taxes, Sibbaluca added.

Sibbaluca also told reporters that he exhorted the two Chief Executives to facilitate the formulation of Municipal Ordinances which would add more teeth for the implementation of the LIO.

Sibbaluca said that he tasked the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Southern Leyte headed by Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Ricardo Tomol and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Maasin, Southern Leyte headed by Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edilberto Caidlang to closely work with the two municipalities to fast track the operationalization of the LIOs.

“The establishment of the LIOs in municipalities is mandated in Republic Act No. 10023, dated March 9, 2010. This act is otherwise known as “An Act Authorizing the Issuance of Free Patents to Residential Lands.

This covers applications for free patents pertaining to untitled public alienable and disposable lands which have been zoned as residential. It shall also cover zoned residential areas in proclaimed town site reservations,” Sibbaluca further informed reporters.

He added that in 2011, DENR issued Department Administrative Order No. 2011-06 which prescribed the guidelines for the implementation of public land titling in partnership with the local government units.

“In the same year, the Department of Interior and Local Government, through the late Secretary Jesse Robredo, issued DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2011-117 which enjoins local authorities to support the intention of the DENR to integrate land titling activities, create Land Information Offices and Cadastral Councils in the cities and municipalities,” he said.

He also said that the DENR-8 is still looking at increased partnership pacts with other municipalities to boost not only residential but also other modes of titling activities of

the  region. — (FREEMAN)