Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Jejomar C. Binay, together with Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay, will lead the distribution of free patents or titles to qualified residential land owners of the city on Wednesday, February 22, 8am at the University of Makati Main Theater.
Dubbed as the “Handog Titulo” Program, it is a joint project of the city government of Makati, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Office of the Vice President.
Mayor Binay said a total of 523 land titles, which cover an aggregate area of 53,630.22 square meters in eight barangays in the city’s two districts, will be given to the beneficiaries of the free patents distribution.
The mayor said the 523 lot owners to receive their land title come from the following barangays: Pembo with 299 recipients; East Rembo with 37 recipients; West Rembo, 70; Cembo, 38; Pitogo, 14; South Cembo, 31; Comembo, 33; and Pio del Pilar, 1.
Binay said the program is anchored on Republic Act 10023, or the Residential Free Patent Act promulgated last March 9, 2010. It is a law that authorizes administrative issuance of free patents on residential lands to every qualified Filipino with no land title. This means that claimants do not need to go through lengthy, tedious, and financially demanding court process to gain legal rights on the residential land that the claimants have been occupying and cultivating for a minimum of 10 years.
“This law is about formalizing land ownership of many residential lot owners and homeowners who only have tax declarations as proof of ownership. This distribution of titles is then aimed to secure the ownership of the beneficiaries over the land they are occupying,” Binay said.
Binay said the beneficiaries of the “Handog Titulo” Program will not only have security and peace of mind over their lands, as they may also use their titles as collaterals for loans to be used as business capital.
Also expected to attend the event are DENR Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria and Regional Technical Director for Lands of the National Capital Region, Arturo Fadriquela.
Other guests will include the president of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), Calixto Chickiamko, and representatives of the The Asia Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Chamber of Thrift Banks and Rural Bankers of the Philippines.
Binay said the FEF through The Asia Foundation and USAID has been closely working with the DENR and various LGUs in the country in the implementation of the Residential Free Patent Act or the RA 10023.
RA 10023 was supported by the Chamber of Thrift Banks and the Rural Bankers Association as they have been complaining about a lack of supply of titles as collateral for lending, which limits their ability to grant loans and make the rural banking industry more viable.
