THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a new guideline to step up land-titling processes for “squatter” and landless public schools across the country.
The guideline was issued through DENR Administrative Order 2015-01 signed by Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje on March 5, in line with the government’s thrusts to improve the quality of public education and land administration and management.
Under the new guideline, superintendents of division schools may apply for special patents with the concerned community environment and natural resources officer (Cenro).
The Cenro has 120 days to process the verification and endorsement of the application to the provincial environment and natural resources officer (Penro).
The Penro, in turn, is given five days from receipt of the Cenro’s transmittal of the application to approve or disapprove the request for special patent.
Upon approval of the special patent, the Penro will transmit it to the registry of deeds for registration.
School sites in Metro Manila may file their application to the DENR National Capital Region office in Quezon City.
Thousands of public schools across the country exists, but with no land of their own. Many are merely occupying public lands, but with no patents for the land they are occupying. Other public schools constructed in private lands even with the owners’ consent or approval, on the other hand, remain threatened by eviction.
“Providing our public schools with a solid legal basis for land ownership is central to the government’s effort to improve our public education system,” Paje said in a statement.
Thousands of sites nationwide have been continuously occupied for decades by public elementary and secondary schools without appropriate land titles.
Paje said titling of public schools will protect them from encroachment, segregation, illegal occupation and adverse claims of ownership by other individuals or parties.
With the new guideline, the DENR chief expects the processing and issuance of special patents initially for around 2,200 school sites within the year.
The Department of Education (DepEd) had earlier submitted to the DENR a list consisting of 15,581 school sites that have yet to secure title deeds for the lands on which they are erected.
Paje said the DENR’s Land Management Bureau has been reviewing the list to determine which of the schools fall under public domain, occupying private lands or covered by deed of donations.
Properties classified as “alienable and disposable lands,” Paje clarified, will be issued with special patents under the name of the DepEd, pursuant to Republic Act 10023, or the Residential Free Patent Act of 2010.