MABALACAT CITY --- The local government of Mabalacat City has forged a Memorandum of Partnership Agreement (MoPA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), environment authorities for a land titling program recently.
DENR Central Luzon Director Francisco Milla, Jr. said the local government unit (LGU) has committed to integrate land administration in the LGU activities to fast track the processing and distribution of land titles in city.
“The local government played a vital role in contributing to the effective development, administration and management of the country’s land resources, hence this partnership agreement,” Milla said.
He added that Mabalacat is the second LGU in Pampanga that has partnered with the DENR in the LGU-led public land titling program after the town of Minalin.
Under the agreement, municipal assessors and planning officers, and staff from the environment or other offices may be deputized as Public Land Investigators after undergoing intensive training.
The next step is to establish a land management office in the City of Mabalacat and to train LGU staff in land management, said Milla.
DENR records show that there are 20 cities and municipalities, including a provincial government in Central Luzon already committed to partner with the DENR on land titling.
These include Llanera, Carranglan, Laur, Gen. Tinio, Penaranda and Palayan City in Nueva Ecija; San Marcelino, Castillejos, Masinloc, San Antonio, Cabangan and Olongapo City in Zambales; Minalin in Pampanga; Limay in Bataan, Bulakan, Obando and Calumpit in Bulacan; Dipaculao in Aurora; Mayantoc in Tarlac; and the provincial government of Bulacan.
Among the benefits of the land management partnership to the LGU includes the improvement of tax collection on titled properties, increase land market activities, better delivery of basic services, greater security of tenure and credit and the reduction of land litigation, Milla added.