In a landmark move, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) successfully distributed on March 4 a 2.01-hectare land to the urban poor of Lupang Arenda in Taytay, Rizal, ending their decades-long wait to own the land they have been appealing for ownership.
Acting Environment Secretary Jim O. Sampulna expressed elation on the handing over of land titles to the beneficiary-members of the Samahang Masigasig ng Sitio Tapayan Homeowners Association or SAMATHOA in Barangay Sta. Ana.
“All my life this is what I have been doing, issuing land titles, not only here since I worked as Director of then Bureau of Lands. I have been to many places just to issue land titles,” Sampulna said.
“That is why I am very happy because we were given the chance to again turnover land titles,” he added.
Sampulna led the turnover of 41 original certificates of land ownership to the member-beneficiaries of SAMATHOA who are currently occupying the 2.01 hectares of land in Lupang Arenda.
The DENR chief also expressed gratitude to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for his directive to strengthen the land distribution and reform program in the country that benefited the members of SAMATHOA.
“I am also thankful that we have our President, President Rodrigo Duterte, who made your dreams come true today,” he said.
Moreover, Sampulna committed to providing the rest of the land parcels which comprise the remaining 3 hectares of the proposed DENR Center in Rizal through the provision of a temporary ownership document.
“There are still 319 patents supposed to be given to you, however, these are underwater which cannot be titled,” Sampulna said.
“But in the meantime, I told PENRO (Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer) and RED (Regional Executive Director) to issue a certificate of land allocation (CELA). The CELA is already like a land title but you are not yet required to pay tax since we cannot yet have it titled due to its location,” he pointed out.
Sampulna also thanked Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and said that he will ask for further assistance in providing a perimeter fence for the area.
“I also want to thank Senator Bong Go for his help in this endeavor. Also, this is where we will ask for further assistance from our good senator to help us to have some sort of a perimeter fence in that area… then (Taytay) Mayor will have it dumped with soil,” he said.
“There is a need for revetment and a concrete walkway to avoid the soil from spilling out to Laguna Lake and then we can have it titled later on,” he added.
Meanwhile, the acting DENR chief also urged the Rizal PENR Officer to expand the titling process in nearby towns.
“I am challenging, the most competent PENRO, PENRO (Ramil) Limpiada that while we are working on distributing lands here in Lupang Arenda, we should also look into other areas in Taytay, in Antipolo, and other areas in the province that needs to be titled,” Sampulna said, emphasizing that the initiative will be of help not only to beneficiaries but also to the local government unit.
Sampulna turned emotional after he recognized the assistance of former DENR Undersecretary and now Senior Deputy Administrator of the National Irrigation Administration Benny Antiporda to the residents of Lupang Arenda.
“You all know that what Benny Antiporda has made for you here in Taytay is something huge because this is the start of change,” Sampulna said.
“Hats off to my good friend whom I admire most when he left the DENR, as what the President has said, ‘my heart is bleeding.’ The whole DENR is crying because you left us,” he said. ###
