CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Some P118.8 million will be earmarked by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to fast track the survey of political boundaries and accelerate government's land distribution program in Central Luzon.

The allotted funds will be used for faster completion of 11 priority cadastral projects covering 511,917 hectares in six provinces, 31 towns, and 1,022 barangays in the region.

DENR-Central Luzon Regional Director Francisco Milla Jr. said 10 out of the 11 cadastral projects are named Category “B” or political boundary and project control survey.

“Cadastral survey projects involved surveying extensive tracts of previously unsurveyed or incompletely surveyed lands to expedite land registration and promote land valuation and taxation efforts of local governments,” Milla said.

Tirso Parian, DENR deputy director of the land management services, said cadastral surveys would define the individual, municipality, city, political and barangay boundaries, and provide a comprehensive and accurate data on land resources.

“This project would ultimately settle political boundary conflicts and claims arising from questions of land ownership,” he said.

The 11 cadastral survey projects were awarded to JR Fernandez Surveying and Engineering Services, Rolando Siccion Surveying Office, Henry Velasco Engineering and Surveying Office, Thetan Computerized Mapping and Engineering Services, Geoidex Surveying and Mapping, EV Quejada Surveying Office, Rommel M. Antonio Construction Surveying and Consultancy Services, DG Cubacub Construction and Surveying, A Pole Surveying and Geodetic Services, and Manangan Survey Office.

Since 2010, the DENR has already completed 22 cadastral survey projects in Central Luzon covering 313,108 hectares in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Zambales.