The Land Management Bureau (LMB) conducted a training on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to the Punong Barangays and selected members of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa of Taguig City covered by Proclamation No. 172 on January 22-24, 2020 at La Breza Hotel, Quezon City.

Proclamation No. 172 was issued by the then President Corazon C. Aquino on October 16, 1987. The acquisition of lands on these areas has now become attractive to many, because of its proximity to the commercial hub prominently known as the Bonifacio Global City (BGC). Thus, the rise of land disputes ranging from encroachment, illegal occupation, double sales, and several others has become inevitable.

Conciliation before the barangay is a prerequisite to the filing of protests/complaints over the said land before the LMB. Thus, for lack of appropriate training on mediation and conciliation, especially those who are new members of the Lupon, land dispute settlement becomes ineffective and most often results in the non-settlement and issuance of a certification to file action (CFA). The issuance of CFA signals the institution of a protest/complaint before the LMB, which consequently, add ups to its case dockets. Hence, this delays the LMB’s land disposition efforts and becomes anathema to the present Administration’s policy of providing security of tenure to every Filipino.

Thus, this training aims to capacitate the members of the Lupon ng Tagapamaya on the appropriate methodologies and techniques in the conduct of ADR proceedings concerning land disputes brought before them.

Topics on the procedure in the disposition of lands covered by Proclamation 172 and the general concepts, principles, legal bases of the ADR in the Philippines and mediation procedures were discussed respectively by Engr. Rolando Pablo, Chief, Land Management Division, LMB and Atty. Geraldine Dela Cerna-Ramos, Chief, Investigation and Arbitration Division and Head, ADR Secretariat, DENR. Practical exercises (simulation activities) were also given to the participants to test their understanding and application of the proper methods and techniques. Similarly, a critiquing was made by the Resource Speaker and the LMB’s Accredited Alternative Dispute Resolution Officers (ADROs) on the participants’ performance on each activity.

At the end of the training, the participants expressed their appreciation to the LMB in coming up with the said activity and, assured us, that whatever learnings they gained therefrom will be applied in the land disputes brought before them to ensure its effective settlement.

On the other hand, the LMB is confident that through this training, the land disputes before the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa would be settled in order to hasten its land disposition efforts.