LMB celebrates its 122nd Lands Anniversary
The Land Management Bureau (LMB) celebrates its 122nd Lands Anniversary on September 29, 2023 in Luxent Hotel, Quezon City.
In her keynote message, DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga emphasized the importance of the theme “Land for Life.”
“‘Land for Life’ recognizes and emphasizes the intrinsic value of our land and its critical role in improving our people’s lives. It calls upon the Department as a whole to take proactive steps to protect, restore, and sustainably manage our land resources for the current as well as for the future generations,” Loyzaga said. “Achieving Land for Life requires a holistic and coordinated effort involving government agencies, local governments, local communities, civil society, the private sector, and the academe as well as our development partners. It ensures that the decision-making in land use favors utilization that is economically viable, socially equitable, and environmentally sustainable.”
Secretary Loyzaga further stressed priorities for the upcoming year, such as “linking and data sharing, consolidation into a single land administration authority, streamlining land administration, and the adoption of the Land Sector Development Framework and the LAMS Philippines Roadmap.” She also expressed her gratitude for LMB’s accomplishments.
“For us, at the DENR, the management of our land actually impacts the management of our air, the atmosphere, as well as our oceans. We cannot separate these three domains.” Loyzaga said. She also highlighted several milestones of the LMB, including the Land Administration and Management System: Philippines that “enhances efficiency and accuracy in land record management and fast-tracks land transaction services,” and promoting social equity through transparent land governance policies.
The Secretary then listed down the DENR’s vision for the land sector by:
- Revisiting the land management approach by recognizing lands as a valuable asset that will generate economic returns, and promote development without compromising ecological and societal functions;
- Strengthening and updating policies and simplifying and streamlining procedures and requirements on land disposition and surveys to adapt to new and appropriate technological and computerized or digital land services;
- Implementing foreshore line delimitation for climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as for disaster risk reduction;
- Inventory of available land in other regions through the use of technologies such as geographic information systems, satellite imagery and other types of remote sensing surveying technologies to take into account all potential uses of land and their values;
- Accelerating land disposition activities and ensure that commitments under the Philippine Development Plan are achieved; and
Implementing the linking of and data sharing between DENR with other agencies, most especially with the local government units to avoid duplication of functions and ensure the integrity of the patents that are being issued.
In her opening remarks, LMB Director Emelyne Talabis acknowledged the LMB’s efforts in simplifying procedures and facilitating delivery of titling services nationwide, and its role in formulating policies.
“We ensured that our proposed policies are evidence-based, and we ensured the participation of the public,” Talabis said. “Our journey towards a modernized land administration and management system is never easy. We experienced setbacks, but what keeps us moving is that we never lose sight of our direction.”
In light of its vision, the LMB awarded deeds of sale to 88 beneficiaries through the Handog Titulo Program, specifically to qualified residents under Proclamation No. 172 covering eight (8) barangays of Taguig City, and Republic Act No. 10023 or the Residential Free Patent Act.
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The LMB also acknowledged the local government units who have shown great support in its land titling agencies. The Municipality of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, was awarded best LGU, while the Municipalities of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, and Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur, were awarded second and third place respectively.
Month Long Activities
LMB Assistant Director Romeo Verzosa opened the afternoon event, stating the pursuit of improving land administration and management in the country. “’Land for Life’, our theme for this year, encapsulates the essence of our commitment towards ensuring that each family be given security of tenure, which is indeed not a one-man task but of many. We will not stop because, land is life, life is land.” he said.
For the month of September 2023, the LMB hosted informative and fun activities for its employees and the public.
An awarding ceremony commenced during the afternoon program. GSD E-Sports took the top awards in LMB’s first ever e-sports tournament for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Team Cariño Brutal cinched the spot of first place, with Team A coming close behind.
LMB employees also partook in a poster-making contest, where the winning entry would be used as the official banner of the 122th Lands Day celebration. Alfred Peralta of the Administrative Support Staff bested Domar Casildo, Earl Joseph Maralit, and Redgie Velasquez. “Land for Life” takes center stage in the winning piece, telling a tale of hope and opportunity as patents are granted, marking a milestone in the Handog Titulo program of the DENR in both urban and rural areas. Each element glimpse into the future of land titling, where modern tools meet age-old traditions.
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| Designing Competition 1st Placer | |
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| Designing Competition 2nd Placer | Designing Competition 3rd Placers | |
A spoken word poetry contest was also part of the celebration. Ma. Erika Russell of the Legal Division demonstrated her skills and received first place, placing emphasis on her main theme, “lupa para sa buhay, siyang tunay na yaman,” signifying land as a treasure to nurture life. Lianne Mar Sultan of the Land Policy and Planning Division grabbed second place, while Esjiemar Levi Rito placed third.
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Ma. Erika Russell (top center), Lianne Mar Sultan and Esjiemar Levi Rito (bottom left to right) won the top prizes in the spoken word poetry contest using the theme, “Land for Life”.
Also recognized were the writers/contributors to the 2nd edition of the Lands Journal:
- Vulnerability Assessment of Foreshore Natural Resources in Carmen, Northern Cebu Island, Philippines: A Coastal Community Case Study by Raamah Rosales;
- Reckoning Point in Counting the Period of Possession in Administrative Legalization by Atty. Rene Orallo II; and
- A Glimpse of Philippine History: Where are we now? by Martin Lorenzo Alba.