Aklanons urged to have lands titled through DENR

Kalibo, Aklan –The Department of Environment and Natural Resources here is enjoining Aklanons whose lands are still untitled to avail the services of the office in having their lands titled.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Raul Lorilla said that here in Aklan as well as in other parts of the country, people can have their lands titled through the DENR through three different categories – free patent, homestead and miscellaneous sales.

Lorilla said there are still many Aklanons whose lands are untitled, even as they had been staying on these lands for many years. Lorilla also appreciates the fact that here in Aklan, land is well distributed to the people, unlike in other provinces in Western Visayas where land ownership is only limited to a few well-off families.

“Almost all Aklanons here own land, no matter how small the area is. Land ownership and distribution are very apparent here in Aklan”, Lorilla said.

To have their lands titled, Lorilla said Aklanons can go straight to the DENR office here and assigned personnel will attend to their needs.

A person can have his land titled through free patent if he has been occupying the land for more than 30 years and has been religiously paying its property tax. He can only avail of a maximum of 12 hectares, and if the land he is applying for title is only 5 hectares and below, the PENRO can approved it; if more than 10 hectares, the DENR Regional Executive Director will be approving, but if it is more that 10 hectares, the DENR Secretary will be the approving official, according to Lorilla.

A homestead title on the other hand, could be granted to a person seeking to establish an abode and land cultivation. He could apply for a maximum of 5 hectares with a very minimal application fee. Under the miscellaneous sales application, meanwhile, the land applied for is for residential purposes only, with the person actually occupying the unencumbered land where he has already introduced improvements. Maximum area that could be applied for is less than 1,000 square meters. The land will be appraised by an appraisal committee depending on location, and the applicant could opt to pay for the land in cash or on a staggered basis.

Lorilla said this is the scheme applied to residents of Sooc River Bed here in Kalibo, and numerous residents had already availed of DENR’s titling program under this scheme.

“Residents who availed through the miscellaneous sales titling are even up to date in payment of their dues”, Lorilla revealed.

PENRO Lorilla assures that upon completion of requirements, processing of titling papers will be fast as there is an administrative division taking charge of the services at DENR-Aklan.

“The titling program through the DENR is continuing and affordable because this service is subsidized by the government,” Lorilla emphasized. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)