LAND SUMMIT ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE WITH COMMITMENTS FOR MORE EFFICIENT TITLING

The first-ever land summit organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Land Management Bureau (DENR-LMB) ended on a high note with commitments from land titling agencies and stakeholders to address the challenges in bringing about more efficient and effective land titling services to the public.

DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu described as a “priceless gift” the Declaration of Support and Commitment signed by over 500 forum participants and presented to him by LMB Director Emelyne Talabis.

“You have given me a priceless gift today,” Cimatu said in a message delivered by DENR Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr., addressing participants from government agencies, business sector, non-government organizations and civil society at the summit’s closing ceremonies.

“This Declaration of Support and Commitment from all of you signifies that you are united with the DENR in pursuing the implementation of land administration and management reforms across all agencies and sectors.”

Cimatu told summit participants that the declaration was a “confirmation of your willingness to be part of the reform process, and of the need for strong partnership between and among us.”

The document will be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte in support of Agenda No. 6 of his administration’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda.

Agenda No. 6 aims to ensure security of land tenure to encourage investments, and address bottlenecks in land management and titling agencies.

Cimatu underscored the need for the commitment to be translated into concrete actions, in cooperation with all stakeholders in the land sector.

“We expect to see how each of us values the alliances and partnerships that we had formed,” Cimatu said. “Specific follow-through actions and activities will be pursued and coordinated among us.”

The former Armed Forces chief promised that the DENR will continue to implement reforms in land administration and management, specifically in the land titling system.

The DENR’s efforts and plans under its land administration program was further discussed by Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta Teh in her closing remarks.

Teh cited the DENR efforts to incorporate climate change and land administration and management in its overall plans, programs and activities.

With the complex issues on land administration and management, Teh said “institutional convergence and harmonization are necessary to ensure that the enabling policies and appropriate programs are put in place.”

She also cited the need to accelerate the completion of land titling under a unified mapping and streamlined procedure, and to equip local government units for “spatially enabled land governance.”