DENR Region 6 surpasses land patent distribution goals

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6 has announced its successful distribution of agricultural and residential free patents for Calendar Year (CY) 2023.

This accomplishment is facilitated through the efforts of its Licenses, Patents, and Deeds Division (LPDD) and the collaborative work of Provincial and Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs/CENROs).

Republic Act No. 11573, signed in 2021 by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, is the current legislation governing the issuance of these free patents. This act amended specific provisions of the Commonwealth Act No. 141, the “Public Land Act,” and PD No. 1529, the “Property Registration Decree,” with the intention of streamlining the process of land title confirmation.

The revised process aims to provide a more straightforward and efficient administrative procedure for titling, ensuring occupants or landowners have legal security over their alienable and disposable lands.

During CY 2023, DENR 6’s field offices distributed 1,255 agricultural free patents, covering an area of 852.7443 hectares.

PENRO Aklan led the distribution, issuing 508 patents over 224.4297 hectares. In Iloilo Province, 280 patents were allocated across various CENROs.

Antique followed with 214 patents, while PENRO Capiz and CENRO Mambusao collectively released 105 patents.

PENRO Guimaras distributed 66 patents, and PENRO Negros Occidental awarded 82 patents.

For residential free patents, DENR 6 issued 949 patents covering 29.3527 hectares in CY 2023. PENRO Aklan again topped the list with 258 patents, with Antique, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Capiz, and Guimaras also contributing to the total.

In sum, DENR Western Visayas has granted 2,204 patents in CY 2023, surpassing the region’s target for the year, which covered a combined area of 882.097 hectares.

Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran commended the exemplary performance of the regional field offices.

“I laud the efforts of our field offices in making our services more accessible to the people, including the issuance of free patents to residential and agricultural lands. It is one of the major services of DENR, and we are committed to further improving our services so that more of our clients can benefit from this. We have exceeded our targets for 2023 and we aim to do even better in 2024,” he said.