New law for conversion of Naga’s public lands passed

LARGE tracts of public land in Naga City in southern Cebu will soon be available for private ownership.

Congress recently passed the law declaring public lands in the city as alienable and disposable.

Cebu 1st district Rep. Eduardo Gullas said this will serve the growth of Naga City, where only 29 percent of the land area is A and D. The rest is still classified as timberland, even if their actual use is agricultural, residential and commercial.

“Even the Poblacion in Naga is not alienable and disposable,” he said, which means no one can own property there, if not for the amendment.

Gullas said that after President Aquino signs the bill into law, residents occupying public lands in Naga city can start applying for land titles based on the zoning classification.

The law was approved by the House of Representative and the Senate is pending in the office of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III for signing.

Gullas thanked Sen. Chiz Escudero for facilitating the approval of the counterpart bill in the Senate.

The law was first filed in Congress in 2001 by Gullas brother Rep. Jose “Dodong” Gullas. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus