MORE NEWS, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE

DENR approves 1,202 free patent titles in Mt Province
By ANDREW A. DOGA-ONG

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has approved a total of 1,202 Free Patent titles in 2007, bringing to 8,008 free patents processed in the province.

DENR provincial officer Peter Osbucan said the 8,008 free patents covered some 4,406 hectares of alienable and disposable (A&D) land with the bulk is found in the eastern municipality of Paracelis . Osbucan said lands classified as A&D in the Mountain Province is only 13,654 hectares representing more or less 6 percent of the land area of the province. He said some 6,000 plus hectares of this A&D land is being covered by the Department of Agrarian Reform through its issuance of Certificate of Land Ownership Award.

Of the 1,202 free patents approved from the regular and Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Programs targets of DENR last year, 596 free patents are processed in the town of Paracelis covering some 186.3 hectares; Sabangan – 401 land titles covering about 9.54 hectares; Bauko - 189 titles covering 15.3 hectares, and Bontoc – 14 with 1.5 hectares. The DENR official said beneficiaries of the free patent titles could now maximize the utilization of their lands as they could use the titles as collaterals to secure capital or loans from commercial banks or government lending institutions.

Beneficiaries who did not yet receive their free patent titles were advised to get them at the Registry of Deeds. Concerned local officials have prodded the DENR and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples higher ups to hasten the reclassification of lands in the province.

They noted that most agricultural lands, fruit and tree plantations, pasture lands and even residential lands are still considered forest lands, hence they cannot be released as alienable and disposable lands and not subject for titling. Under the Constitution, forest lands and other government reservations or having 18 degrees slope and above cannot be titled.

Osbucan said under Section 12 of the Indigenous Peoples Right Act, agricultural lands were all classified as alienable and disposable lands. He added these lands however cannot still be subject of the NCIP’s Certificate of Ancestral Land Title or the DENR’s free patent as there are no guidelines issued yet.


Strict rules set for Sagada tourism establishments
By JULIET SALEY

SAGADA, Mt. Province – Strict rules have been set for establishments of this town in the conduct of tourism activities or face penalties. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan recently passed a resolution approving an ordinance of this town known as “The Revised Sagada Tourism Code of 2007.”

The ordinance governs and regulates tourism development programs in this town including licensing, registration, regulation and supervision of the operations of tourism related establishments. It is applied on all private and government owned or controlled entities such as restaurants, hotels, lodging facilities, tourist guides, transport groups and organizations that are tourism related and other similar stablishments whether their operation is domestic or international in scope.

The ordinance requires mandatory registration and licensing of tourism oriented establishments. It must first acquire a valid license to operate/manage any building edifice or premises for the purpose of engaging in the tourism-oriented business from the mayor’s office. It also requires tour guides to acquire license as local tour guides.

Only Sagada residents who have complied with the given requirements for accreditation are qualified as local tour guides. Renewal of tour guide license shall be within the first 20 days of January each year. Transport and tour groups are also required to file with the municipal tourism officer a copy furnished to the mayor’s office, sangguniang bayan and municipal tourism council their schedule of charges which shall be in accordance with standard rates.

The ordinance also requires all guests whether seeking accommodation or not to register in the registry or record book maintained at the municipal information office. The ordinance also provides rules and regulations on the preservation, improvement and maintenance of sacred places and scenic spots of this municipality.

It is provided that maintenance and preservation of the natural beauty of all the sacred places such as but not limited to “dap-ays”, “babawiyan”, “patpatayan” including the immediate premises and scenic spots such but not limited to “burial caves”, hanging coffins”, rock formation, underground rivers and waterfalls shall be the prime concern of the municipal government.

However, improvement on sacred places shall require the favorable recommendation of the community elders while the improvement of scenic places shall require the recommendation of the Municipal Tourism Council contained in a resolution. General rules on the operation and management of scenic spots was also provided in the code.

Any person who is not a holder of a license from the mayor’s office, who violates the prohibitory and regulatory provisions of this ordinance shall upon conviction by the Municipal Trial Court suffer the penalty of imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine of not less than P4,000 nor more than P5,000 or both at the discretion of the court.

Penalty imposed upon officers or judicial persons, if the offender of the provision in the preceding paragraph is a corporate/association, partnership, the penalty provided shall be imposed upon the officer or person responsible for the violation. If the offender is an alien, he shall in addition to the stated penalties be subject to deportation after having paid any liability.