Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City, Metro Manila
TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._66

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill is a refiled measure from the 19th Congress, where it was approved on
Third Reading and subsequently transmitted to the Senate for its appropriate
action. It was principally authored by Hon. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo during the
16th to the 18th Congresses and was originally introduced in the 15th Congress
by the late Hon. Pedro P. Romualdo. Both have represented the Lone District of
Camiguin.

The bill seeks to simplify and modernize the publication requirements governing
the disposition of public agricultural lands under Commonwealth Act No. 141,
otherwise known as the Public Land Act. These proposed amendments aim to
make the process more efficient, cost-effective, and responsive to current
realities.

At present, the law mandates that notices for the sale of public agricultural lands
be published for six (6) consecutive weeks in the Official Gazette, with optional
translation into Spanish or the local dialect. These provisions are antiquated and
have become impractical given the current costs, accessibility of publication
platforms, and the linguistic realities of the Filipino public.

This bill proposes the following amendments to address these concerns:

1. Reduce the publication period in the Official Gazette from six (6)
consecutive weeks to two (2) consecutive weeks, thereby expediting
the disposition process and minimizing unnecessary delays;

2. Consider the removal of the option of publishing the notice in Spanish
or the local dialect, considering that English and Filipino are the official
languages most commonly understood and used in official
transactions; and

3. Raise the threshold land value requiring publication in the Official
Gazette and newspapers from Two Hundred Forty Pesos (P240.00)—
an amount no longer reflective of current land valuations—to a more
realistic Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00).

These amendments are intended to streamline bureaucratic processes, reduce
publication costs, and align legal requirements with present-day conditions, all

while maintaining transparency and accountability,in the disposition of public
agricultural lands.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of ti Kill is earnestly sought.

JURI US M. ROMUALDO


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 66

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO

AN ACT
SIMPLIFYING THE PROCEDURE IN THE DISPOSITION OF PUBLIC
AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 24 OF
COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 141, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “PUBLIC LAND
ACT”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 24 of Commonwealth Act No. 141 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
“SECTION 24. Lands sold under the provisions of this chapter must be appraised in
accordance with section one hundred and sixteen of this Act. The [Director of Lands]
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DENR) shall
announce the sale thereof by publishing the proper notice once a week for [six] TWO
consecutive weeks in the Official Gazette, and in two newspapers, one published in
METRO Manila, and the other published in the municipality or in the province where the
lands are located, or in a neighboring province, and the same notice shal] be posted on the
bulletin board of the [Bureau of Lands} CENTRAL OFFICE OF THE DENR in Manila,
and in the most conspicuous place in the provincial building and the municipal building
of the province and municipality, respectively, where the land is located, and if
practicable, on the land itself; but if the value of the land does not exceed [two hundred
and forty] FIFTY THOUSAND pesos, the [publication in the Official Gazette and
newspapers may be omitted] SAME NOTICE SHALL BE POSTED IN THREE


CONSPICUOUS PLACES: BARANGAYS AND MUNICIPALITY WHERE THE
LAND IS LOCATED, AND ON THE LAND ITSELF, FOR THE NOTICE OF THAT
APPLICATION. The notices shall be published [one] in English, [and the other in]
SPANISH OR IN THE LOCAL DIALECT, and shall fix a date [not earlier than sixty]
THIRTY days after the date of the notice upon which the land will be awarded to the
highest bidder, or public bids will be called for, or other action will be taken as provided

in this chapter.”

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SEC. 2. The Secretary of the DENR shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to
10 implement this Act.

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12 SEC. 3. All laws, decrees, executiveorders, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts

13 thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

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15 SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
16 — Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

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18 Approved,