Baguio gov’t clears 1,000 free patent applications for titling

By Dexter A. See 

BAGUIO CITY – The city government cleared for titling more than 1,000 residential free patent applications (RFPAs) in  barangays of the city.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said this was in consonance to the  Free Patent Law.

He added issuance of clearance to the RFPAs is part of stringent process prescribed by law for qualified residents to be able to own their lands in compliance to the provisions of the law.

“We remain committed to the award of alienable and disposable lands to qualified applicants, provided that, they will be able to comply with the stringent requirements of the law,” Domogan said.

He said the local government will continue to give clearances to RFPAs filed with the city planning and development office so that the issuance of free patent titles to various lands in the different barangays will be fastracked.

However, Domogan stood firm to his earlier position that lands which are more than 200 square meters and are on the process of the issuance of titles through the Townsite Sales Application (TSA) shall not be subdivided just to comply with the provisions of the Free Patent Law.

Under the provisions of the Free Patent Law, alienable and disposable lands having an area of less than 200 square meters shall be awarded to qualified applicants through the free patent titles.

According to Domogan, enterprising land speculators should not try to circumvent the provisions of the Free Patent Law by subdividing lands that are more than 200 square meters just to comply with the prescribed limit because it is clear that the city government will not issue the appropriate clearance for the processing of the free patent titles of such lands as the same is in violation of the said law.

He said subdividing lands that are above the limit of the free patent law will definitely contribute in overcrowding in the different barangays of the city which does not conform with the comprehensive land use plan and zoning ordinance, thus, he wants that lands which were already subjected to TSAs should remain as such and should no longer be subdivided.

He said applicants for free patent titles should directly seek the advice of experts from the environment and natural resources department and the city planning and development office and through any other land speculators because they might be given the wrong advise that might compromise their being issued the free patent titles in the future.

Domogan said he was supportive of the implementation of the free patent law but does not support circumvention of the provisions of the law advance the interests of enterprising land speculators wanting to take advantage of the ambiguity of the law for the disposal of lands in the city that might complicate the current situation that the city is experiencing in terms of congestion.