THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINE 
First Regular Session 
S E N A T E  
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. OsmeAa 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It has been a rampant practice for land titles to be issued even though the 
lands they cover are part of the forest zone. 
Many of these titles are issued 
through judicial proceedings which also require judicial proceedings to nullify 
them. Such proceedings are very expensive, long-drawn and complicated. 
In order to hasten the process of nullifying such land titles, this bill seeks 
to authorize the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources to nullify, 
through administrative proceedings, the illegal titles covering lands of the forest 
zone. Administrative proceedings are much less expensive, more expeditious, 
and much more simple, inasmuch as the vital facts involved are directly available 
in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources itself. 
In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
SERGIO OSMENA Ill 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINE 
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Introduced by Senator S. 
AN ACT 
DIRECTING 
THE 
SECRETARY 
OF 
ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL 
RESOURCES TO NULLIFY TITLES OVER LANDS NOT YET CLASSIFIED AS 
ALIENABLE AND DISPOSABLE AT THE TIME OF THE ISSUANCE OF SAID 
TITLES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION I. 
Whenever the Secretary of Environment and Natural 
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Resources determines, after investigation and due hearing at his own initiative or 
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at the instance of any party, office or entity, that title has been issued on a parcel 
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of land or any portion thereof not yet classified as alienable and disposable at the 
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time of the issuance of the title thereto, he shall declare the title null and void 
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insofar as it covers said land or portion thereof 
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SEC. 2. If the land referred to in the preceding section is cultivated or 
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occupied by bona-fide and landless tillers, settlers or residents, and the said land 
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is or has become suitable for. agriculture and can.be classified.as alienable and. 
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disposable under existing policies of the government, the Secretary of 
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Environment and Natural Resources shall so classify the land and shall turn it 
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over to the Department of Agrarian Reform for distribution to its actual tiller or 
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occupants, or to other farmers in accordance with the priorities, policies, terms 
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and conditions governing the distribution of public lands under the agrarian 
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reform program of the government. 
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SEC. 3. Should the land or portions thereof, referred to in Section 1 
hereof, be uncultivated and unoccupied, and should it be or has become suitable 
for agriculture and can be classified as alienable and disposable under existing 
government policies, the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources shall 
so classify the said land, and shall notify the Department of Agrarian Reform, .
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and . 
should the Secretary of Agrarian Reform request it, the Secretary of Environment 
and Natural Resources shall turn over the said land to the Department of 
Agrarian Reform for its distribution or other disposition under the agrarian reform 
program of the government; otherwise, it shall remain under the jurisdiction and 
disposition of the Land Management Bureau. 
SEC. 4. 
Should the land referred to in the preceding Section 1 be 
unsuitable for agriculture or cannot be classified or disposed under existing 
government policies and regulations, the Secretary of Environment and Natural 
Resources shall maintain the same as forest land or as some other class of land 
of the public domain in accordance with existing laws, policies, and regulations. 
SEC. 5. The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources shall 
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of 
this Act, including rules of procedure to govern nullification of title proceedings 
thereunder: Provided, That all final decisions of the Secretary of Environment 
and Natural Resources in any case for nullification of title under this Act shall be 
appealable to the Office of the President, whose decision thereon shall be final. 
SEC. 
6. 
The Secretary of Agrarian Reform shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations for the acquisition, maintenance, and disposition 
of all lands, to be turned over to it under this Act. 
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SEC. 7. All laws, ord'inances, rules and regulations, other issuances or 
parts thereof which are inconsistent with this law are hereby repealed or modified 
according I y . 
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SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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