Report any land title fixing - DENR 7
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU, Nov 12 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) urged the public to report immediately any abuses or illegal transactions committed by its personnel particularly on land titling fixing.
Under Republic Act 10023, or the New Free Patent Act, DENR-7 will process a patent title application to any Filipino citizen who is an actual applicant of a residential land.
We do not close our eyes when we receive reports that our personnel are soliciting a certain amount outside of the required or legal fees in favor to facilitate the processing and issuance of land titles, clarified DENR 7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo Montejo.
Montejo said land applicants need only pay a minimal amount of P50 for each application for free patent, residential patent and all other land applications after all mandatory requirements have been complied with.
“They can call the office of the Regional Executive Director at 346 0661 or the regional public affairs office at 345 3959 or file a letter complaint to us if they want to report something so that we can initiate the investigation,” Montejo said.
“I have been instructing our provincial and community environment and natural resources officers in region 7 to keep a close watch and be very vigilant and sensitive on this issue,” he added.
When asked how serious the DENR is looking into this, Montejo replied, “Our legal division is tasked to take on the job and we don’t hesitate to crack the whip and file the necessary administrative charges on erring employees.”
Residential lands are lands that have been identified and zoned as residential through the appropriate ordinance by a local government unit (LGU) having jurisdiction over the area.
A free patent on residential land covers untitled residential lands in public alienable and disposable lands that are zoned by local government units as residential areas, including townsites, public schools, municipal halls, public plazas or parks, delisted and abandoned military camps or reservations.
Any Filipino citizen who is an actual occupant of a residential land for at least 10 years may apply for a free patent title.
“This law directs our Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (Cenro) to process the application within 120 days to include compliance with the required notices and other legal requirements,” Montejo said.
He added that within 125 days, the free patent will be issued or returned as the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (Penro) has five days to approve or disapprove the patent.(mbcn/HFG-PIA 7/DENR-7)