Baguio mayor forms inter-agency group to hasten disposition of proclaimed lands

By Paul Rillorta

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan Wednesday convened the Local Inter-Agency Committee to expedite disposal of proclaimed lands to qualified beneficiaries in this mountain resort.

The LIAC chaired by the mayor is created for the primary function of formulating and adopting rules and policy guidelines on the disposition of proclaimed lands within the jurisdiction of Baguio City.

Committee on urban planning, lands, housing and relocation sites chairman and Councilor Leandro Yangot, Jr. will serve as co-chair and action officer and the city planning office as secretariat.

The members are regional directors of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources and  HUDCC,city administrator, city planning and development officer, city social welfare and development officer, city engineer, DILG city director, representatives from the mayor’s office, NHA, PCUP, administrator of the proclaimed land, homeowners and punong barangays of the land subject for disposition.

The barangays covered include Cabinet Hill-Teachers Camp, Marcoville, Southdrive, Engineers Hill, DPS Compound, San Luis, San Roque, PMA Fort Del Pilar, North Sanitary Camp, East Quirino Hill, M. Roxas, BGH Compound, Pinget, Loakan Proper, East Bayan Park, Ambiong and Brookspoint.

Domogan also created sub-committees for the barangays in question which is tasked to recommend actions to be undertaken.

The mayor said the committees other functions will include the drafting of a plan for expeditious disposition of lands, identify and mobilize fund resources, approve the master list of qualified beneficiaries, formulate measures to maintain peaceful possession of the land.

“This should not be a license for anyone to enter any forest reserve and squat, it would be our policy to demolish any new structure which will be constructed without any building permit in any of this proclaimed lands,” he said.

Domogan also stressed pending complaints will continue to be processed under the rules including pending demolitions.

Domogan also appealed to homeowners not to renovate or extend their present structures except if it is necessary or it will be construed as a new structure and will be subject for demolition.

“We should be consistent in our stand in protecting the remaining forest reserves and this status quo order will hamper would be settlers in constructing new structures,” he said.

The mayor also noted that part of the requirements in order for a proclaimed reservation to be disposed to actual occupants is the consent of the reservee.

“We will get the recommendations of the reservee on this proclaimed lands, they should also give their consent or opposition to the same,” he said.

The sub-committees formed were given 90 days to give its report which covers the possibility of recommending for the titling in favor of the beneficiaries the proclaimed lands, consent or opposition of the agency where subject lands are located and a report on the previous actions undertaken on said lands.