By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is seeking the faster resolution of canceled land titles as part of the improvement of the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
DAR Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Luis Meinrado Pañgulayan led a national symposium over the weekend to ensure that the agrarian legal services will be able to confer directly with the offices involved in cancellation cases.
The regional director, provincial agrarian reform program officer, and provincial chief legal officer are responsible for the acceptance and evaluation of applications for the cancellation of agrarian reform titles.
Pañgulayan said policy and procedural changes have been made under the present administration to address challenges to the program implementation.
Foremost among these difficulties is the multi-layered processing of the cancellation of emancipation patents (EPs), certificates of land ownership award (CLOA), and other titles issued under the agrarian reform program.
Cancellation refers to the process of annulling, invalidating, and revoking EPs, CLOAs, or other titles issued under any agrarian reform program.
This concern has been addressed through the DAR Administrative Order No. 02, series of 2018, which outlines an omnibus summary rule that streamlines the process.
“It is imperative to immediately communicate the new policies to field implementers to ensure clarity and uniformity in the implementation,” Pañgulayan said.