DENR distributes 25 special land patents in Pavia

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6 distributed 25 special land patents during its “DENR 6 Express: Permitting on Wheels” caravan in Pavia, Iloilo on July 13.

The mobile caravan served 162 permittees and brought land titling, environmental permitting and technical consultation services closer to local stakeholders.

The special patents were issued through the DENR’s Handog Titulo Program to secure ownership of public lands used by schools, local government units and national government agencies.

The titles provide government institutions with legally recognized rights over the properties occupied by public facilities and infrastructure.

Under DENR rules, a special patent is a public instrument confirming the state’s grant of ownership over alienable and disposable public agricultural land to a qualified grantee.

DENR Region 6 OIC Regional Executive Director Ramar Niel V. Pascua and Pavia Mayor Laurence Anthony G. Gorriceta also led the ceremonial turnover of survey plans for identified parcels of public land.

The turnover begins the process for the issuance of additional special patents in the name of the Pavia municipal government.

The caravan also provided regulatory services that would otherwise require applicants to visit DENR offices.

Frontline teams issued six local transport permits for wildlife and one certificate of chainsaw registration during the activity.

The DENR also distributed 300 fruit-bearing tree seedlings to community members and other participants.

The agency said the distribution was intended to encourage local tree planting and support regional food security.

The Pavia activity was the fourth stop of the DENR 6 Express program, which serves as a one-stop shop for environmental permits, land applications, surveys and other frontline services.

The mobile caravan forms part of the agency’s effort to move land titling, environmental permitting and technical services beyond its offices and closer to communities.