DENR lifts land titling ban in Palawan, Sarangani, South Cotabato; plans next steps to accelerate titling

Residents in some areas in the Province of Palawan, South Cotabato and Saranggani can now apply for land titling in the DENR after land titling ban in the said areas was lifted.

It can be recalled that titling activities in Palawan; and Saranggani and South Cotabato including General Santos City were banned on May 28, 2015 and July 22, 2013, respectively because of alleged irregularities.

The guidelines, DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2019-10 serves as measures to avoid irregularities in titling in the said areas. This also covers supplemental procedures in the issuance and approval of survey authorities and survey plans.

Qualified citizens in South Cotabato and Saranggani can go directly to their respective Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs). Meanwhile, in the Province of Palawan only CENROs of Culion, Rizal, Busuanga, Roxas, Taytay, Balabac, Narra, and Brookes Point were allowed to accept applications. Titling ban in South Cotabato and Saranggani was lifted on January 29, 2020, while March 2, 2020 in Palawan.

The lifting of suspension excludes General Santos City, however, the Land Management Bureau (LMB) is set to draft a clarificatory memorandum for DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu’s approval.

The LMB, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, has rolled out the new guidelines and conducted action planning on July 6-7, 2020 through teleconference to meet and collaborate with the DENR Central Office, and Regional and Field Offices of DENR MMAROPA and Region 12.

“Though the covid 19 pandemic greatly affects the way we conduct our land titling activities, we must not forget that there are people who had been waiting for so long a time for their lands to be surveyed and titled in these Provinces. We should continue implementing our activities and devise action plans to impose strict control measures to prevent titling irregularities.”, LMB Director Emelyne V. Talabis said.

The said action planning was participated by DENR Legal Affairs Service Director Norlito Eneran, DENR Regional Executive Director Lourdes Ferrer of MIMAROPA, and DENR Regional Executive Director Felix Alicer of Region 12 who gave insights for the conduct of efficient and effective land titling activities in the Province of Palawan, Saranggani and South Cotabato.

COUNTERCLOCKWISE: LMB Director Emelyne Talabis DENR Legal Affairs Service Director Norlito Eneran, DENR Regional Executive Director Lourdes Ferrer of MIMAROPA, and DENR Regional Executive Director Felix Alicer of Region 12 gives valuable insights for the conduct of efficient and effective land titling activities in the Palawan, Sarangani and South Cotabato. Because of the General Community Quarantine imposed in the National Capital Region (NCR), the activity was implemented using Google Meet.

LMB Assistant Director Romeo Verzosa participates in the policy rollout and action planning. LMB skeletal workforce are required to wear masks inside the office.