BAGUIO CITY January 30 – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan reports that the pending proposals in Congress to re-open the validation of unvalidated 211 titles covering lots in different parts of the city will eventually result in the displacement of thousands of residents who are occupying the same.
The local chief executive pointed out that the unvalidated 211 titles in the city should be dealt with on a case-to-case basis and not through the provision of another schedule for the validation of the titles.
“We will surely be creating more problems than solutions if we will allow the validation of all unvalidated 211 titles as this will surely lead to a massive displacement of actual occupants of lands covered by unvalidated 211 titles,” Domogan asserted.
He revealed the matter was brought to his attention by some top-notch lawyers in the city when he was still the congressman of the city but he declined to author the bill that will provide for a new validation period because he was aware of the prevailing situation in the areas that are covered by unvalidated titles.
According to him, if the lands covered by the unvalidated titles are already occupied by individuals apart from the supposed owner, the same should not be covered by the proposed re-openning of the validation of the unvalidated 211 titles because the lands should have already reverted as part of the public domain, thus, the environment department could facilitate their declaration as alienable and disposable for their eventual award to the qualified actual occupants pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.
If it is the owner of a property is currently occupying the land covered by an unvalidated 211 title, he explained that the re-opening of the validation period will be applicable because there will be no one who will be displaced.
He admitted that lands covered by unvalidated 211 titles have numerous occupants who will be affected once the titles are validated.
Earlier, Rep. Mark Go authored the House version of the bill that seeks to re-open the validation period for unvalidated 211 land titles while the Senate version is still pending deliberations.
The validation of the unvalidated 211 land titles pursuant to the provisions of Presidential Proclamation No. 1271 lapsed in February 1987 or over 32 years ago when the situation was totally different compared to the existing situation.
Thousands of residents who are occupying parcels of lands in areas covered by unvalidated 211 land titles have flocked to the offices of concerned city officials to seek their assistance on what action to take once the pending legislations on the re-opening of the validation period for invalidated 211 titles will be approved by Congress and eventually signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte. **By Dexter A. See
