By Claro A. Lanipa
PAGADIAN CITY – To fast-track the
adjudication of public lands and the issuance of titling, the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will soon partner with the local
government units (LGUs) pursuant to its Department Administrative Order (DAO)
No. 2011-06.
DAO No. 2011-06 is the DENR’s first national policy
that involves LGU in land titling program and has been considered a milestone
in the devolution of land titling program down to the local level.
Roservirico Tan, chief of the Regional Public Affairs
Office (RPAO), DENR-IX said LGUs can provide invaluable assistance to DENR
field offices in terms of resources, logistics and general knowledge of the
existing conditions in their respective area.
He said LGU will be authorized to facilitate the
titling of public lands through an ordinance creating a local titling program,
titling office and adjudication teams. Such ordinance shall be a prerequisite
for an LGU to avail of the assistance from DENR field offices and shall include
provisions for manpower and other resources, Tan elaborated.
LGUs are also encouraged to create a land information
office to facilitate exchange of information, reconciliation and reconstruction
of data from different local offices and national agencies in support of the
titling program, Tan added.
He also disclosed that his office had already made
exploratory meetings with the Dumalinao municipality led by Mayor Ace William
Cerilles for the piloting of this program in the province. (PIA9)
