Manila—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has announced its commitment to expedite the processing and issuance of public land patents across the Philippines as part of the ‘Handog Titulo’ Month celebrations this September.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DENR aims to enhance the administration, management, and disposal of public lands to eligible beneficiaries, aligning with the agency’s Memorandum Circular No. 2019-04. A recent Facebook post from the agency emphasized the importance of land ownership in improving the lives and livelihoods of Filipinos. “Pagkakaroon ng sariling lupa ay mahalagang hakbang sa pagpapabuti ng buhay at kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan (Having one’s own land is an important step in improving the lives and livelihoods of our countrymen),” the post noted.
The program collaborates with the Registry of Deeds and local government units (LGUs) to streamline the land titling process and provide security of tenure to occupants of alienable and disposable lands through administrative titling. Notably, on September 5, the DENR-Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) region awarded 177 land titles, including 87 residential and 79 agricultural free patents, as well as 11 special patents to LGUs and schools in Romblon. Additionally, in Barangay Baloganon, Masinloc, Zambales, 10 residential free patents covering 58,625 square meters were distributed to qualified residents.
The DENR Zambales highlighted that since January of this year, over 1,400 residential and agricultural land titles covering more than 600 hectares have been distributed in Central Luzon. The DENR stressed the benefits of formal land ownership, noting that titled land can be used as collateral for loans, thereby opening up business opportunities and enhancing financial stability. Moreover, titled land generally holds higher market value, which can significantly improve the economic standing of the beneficiaries.