Baronda flags ‘suspicious titles’ issued over mangrove areas

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Iloilo City Lone District Rep. Julienne Baronda on Monday, Dec. 15, flagged the issuance of land titles covering mangrove areas along the Iloilo Strait, calling it a serious legal anomaly that threatens public safety, environmental protection, and disaster resilience.

In a privilege speech before the House of Representatives, Baronda said mangrove plantations in Barangays Balabago, Bito-on, and Hinactacan – areas that form part of the Iloilo Flood Control Project – were titled as private agricultural land despite being long established as mangrove forests and coastal zones.

“These mangroves are not ornamental, they are not optional, and they are not dispensable. They are a lifeline,” Baronda said, citing their role in dispersing storm surges, absorbing wave impacts, and protecting communities during Typhoon Tino.

She said the issue came to light when a landowner near the Iloilo Strait received a right-of-way request from individuals claiming ownership of the mangrove area.

Verification later revealed that three homestead patents had been issued on April 25, 2024, covering a total of 50 hectares – or 500,000 square meters – of coastline.

These include Lot 1 under Original Certificate of Title (OCT) No. 202400006 with 70,000 square meters; Lot 2 under OCT No. 202400008 with 220,000 square meters; and Lot 3 under OCT No. 202400007 with 210,000 square meters.

Baronda said the City Assessor’s Office certified the lots as agricultural land.

She questioned how areas that are “constantly submerged in water, grown with mangroves, and clearly part of the Iloilo Strait” could be classified as agricultural or considered cultivated, which is a legal requirement for homestead patents.

Baronda also raised questions about the classification and titling process, asking who authorized the reclassification, whether site inspections were done, what the inspectors observed, and when the coastal land was declared alienable and disposable.

She noted that nearby landowners were reportedly unaware of any reclassification.

Citing the Regalian Doctrine under Section 2, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution, Baronda said mangroves are forest lands that belong to the State and are inalienable.

She also cited constitutional provisions on the right to a balanced and healthful ecology, along with laws and jurisprudence that require actual, visible, and continuous cultivation as a condition for homestead patents.

Baronda pointed out that administrative orders and Supreme Court rulings consistently declare mangroves as protected forest resources, and that coastal and foreshore lands fall outside the commerce of man, making any issued titles void from the start.

“This is not just illogical – it is highly suspicious,” she said, suggesting the incident may not be isolated but part of a broader pattern.

She called for an immediate investigation into the issuance of the titles, urging scrutiny of the actions taken by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Registry of Deeds, and relevant local offices.

Baronda also requested the production of land classification maps, proclamation or reclassification orders, survey plans, inspection reports, and other supporting documents.

She pushed for a moratorium on private activities in the contested areas—including fencing, enforcement of rights-of-way, and development—until the matter is resolved.

She further proposed a citywide audit of titled properties along the Iloilo Strait and the formal recognition of the city’s mangrove belt as essential to disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.

“Mangroves save lives,” Baronda said, warning that the privatization of coastal and mangrove areas poses a direct threat to public safety.

She concluded that the issue goes beyond land ownership and affects the long-term security of the entire city.

Daily Guardian received documents in late November related to the purported land titles covering the mangrove areas.

Requests for verification were subsequently filed with the DENR to determine the authenticity of the homestead patents and whether the affected lands were classified as alienable and disposable.

The matter was referred by DENR Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo, supervising undersecretary for lands, to the agency’s Regional Office VI on Nov. 28.

As of this writing, the DENR regional office has not yet responded.