BATANGAS CITY, Feb. 5 (PNA) — The Calabarzon Region’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office has forged an agreement on Tuesday with the Batangas City local government unit (LGU) to speed up processing of the city constituents’ land titles.
Signing the Memorandum of Partnership Agreement at the City Convention Center here were DENR Regional Executive Director Reynulfo A. Juan and Batangas City Mayor Eduardo Dimacuha.
Also present during the signing rites were Chairman Angelito Dimacuha, President of the Association of Barangay Chairmen; Atty. Edwin Lagac of the Register of Deeds; Forester Francisco Milla, DENR R4A Regional Technical Director for Lands Management Service; Forester Jose Elmer Bascos, DENR-Batangas provincial chief; Forester Laudemir Salac, DENR-Batangas City chief; Oliver Gonzales of the City LGU-ENR Office and Sonny Godoy of the Batangas City Planning and Development Office.
The memorandum calls for collaborative work and improves the land administration and management particularly in the survey and titling activities for more efficient land-related services to Batangas City land owners.
Executive Director Juan described as “an enormous feat already” the approval and support of city Mayor Dimacuha and the city and barangay councils in the premier capital city of Batangas.
“The partnership pact is a concrete manifestation of two administrative orders of the government’s two main departments tasked on land titling partnership,” Juan revealed.
He referred to the DENR’s Department Administrative Order No. 2011-06 in 2011 which prescribed the guidelines for the implementation of public land titling in partnership with the local government units.
The other government memorandum issued in the same year was then DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo’s Memorandum Circular No. 2011-117 which enjoins local authorities to support the intention of the DENR to integrate land titling activities, create Land Offices and Cadastral Councils in the cities and municipalities.
Part of the agreement includes the deputation conscription of qualified LGU officials and employees to be trained as Deputized Public Land Inspectors.
Juan also revealed that his department has already initiated and institutionalized five partnership agreements through its DENR Field Offices located in Batangas and five municipalities in the province.
“Our DENR partnership with the local government of Batangas is strengthened by your desire and social objectives to help your Batangueño constituents’ aspirations to finally bear the titles of their own lands. And we shall continue to endeavor on this partnership here in Batangas City,” the official remarked.
DENR officials remarked that partnership is expected to bear significant impact on the socio-economic life of the residents and land-owners of Batangas City.
The DENR regional head claimed securing property rights will trigger economic activity, credit enhancement on the part of title-holders will be attained and secured land rights will be more conducive to investment opportunities.
The joint DENR-Batangas City undertaking, he said, will not only cover residential land titling, but also the titling of agricultural lands.
It will also facilitate issuance of special patents to untitled lands owned and occupied by the LGUs such as city, town and barangays.
Juan also expressed the partnership agreement serves as an avenue for the reconstitution of old or missing survey records or Batangas cadastre and DENR and city government can harness the expertise of the Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines.
City Mayor Dimacuha also expressed optimism for his city’s project to institutionalize its own geographic information system which is considered crucial in preserving the city’s ecological integrity and the well-being of its constituents in the midst of rapid urbanization.
“It is just appropriate that concrete measures are undertaken for the responsible management of our environment and natural resources,” Mayor Dimacuha said.
Gaudencio Audie L. Dela Cruz, DENR Calabarzon Regional Public Affairs Office chief said the partnership agreement affords better delivery of public service on matters concerning their lands.
These include surveying and titling that will be undertaken through streamlined, less-expensive procedures by bringing down the titling process to the local level.
Dela Cruz remarked this systematic titling eradicates red tape through the adoption of one-stop shops within the LGUs and the barangay approach in the gathering and filing of applications for land titling.
He also noted the historic move to strengthen and secure the land rights of the Batangueños was witnessed by about 1,125 city residents and officials. (PNA)