Pass Boracay Land Titling Bill, Miraflores Urges Congress

By Boy Ryan B. Zabal

Aklan’s Lone District Rep. Florencio Miraflores urged the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo to fastrack the enactment into law the titling of lands in Boracay Island.
Miraflores stressed, the bill when approved into law will resolve the ownership of lands among the stakeholders and residents in the island.
"The controversy arose when the Presidential Proclamation declaring certain parcels of land alienable and disposable was issued. It was questioned by stakeholders of Boracay because of the mode of titling of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials through the administrative titling or public auction," he said.
Cong. Iggy Arroyo assumed one of the committee posts in the House of Representatives with Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo in the Committee of Energy recently.
Presidential Proclamation No. 1064 issued on May 22, 2006, classifies some portions of Boracay Island as alienable and disposable lands.
Under the Public Land Act, portions of the land in Boracay that were declared as alienable and disposable can be titled and the present occupants can confirm their imperfect titles, 30 years of continuous possession from May 22, 2006 when the Presidential Proclamation 1064 took effect. "Last year, Cong. Miraflores defended the move of stakeholders using judicial titling which is the point of contention that should be done in the titling of lands. The House Bill is a special law which considers the vested rights of landowners," Miraflores said.
"The point of reckoning should be the continuous ownership prior to the Presidential Proclamation as alienable and disposable and the titling could be done through free patent or through the court for judicial titling," the solon said.
"The bill also recognizes the 25-meter easement from the foreshore area," he added. /MP