Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

20th Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 4467

Introduced by HON. MAURICIO G. DOMOGAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to declare certain portions of the Public domain at Forbes Park Forest
Reservation in Baguio as alienable and disposable for housing, economic, and other purposes.

On February 10, 1924, with Baguio still 15 years old as a Chartered

ity and its forest
were still primeval, the American Governor General of the Philippines, foreseeing the need to

preserve and conserve for future generations the trees and greenery within and close to the city

center, issued Proclamation No. 10 establishing the Forbes Park Reservation, then a densely

forested area. The area extended from the Military Circle to a point in Ambuclao Road below
the Baguio side of the Benguet-Vizcaya Road. The Reservation consisted of Parcels |, Il, and

IIL. Parcels I and II are still preserved as forested areas but not Parcel III.

In 1970, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Proclamation No. 773 excluding, among,
others, certain portions of the Forbes Park Reservation from the operation of Proclamation No.
10, Series 1924 and Proclamation No. 63, Series 1925 from forest reserve to alienable and
disposable lands. But this would become effective only upon the passage of a law expressing

the concurrence of Congress to the proclamation.

Likewise, Republic Act. No. 8963, S. 2000 excluded from the Baguio Townsite
Reservation certain portions of lands within Lots 1,2,3,4,5, and 6 embraced therein and
declaring the same alienable and disposable lands for disposition to qualified applicants under
Republic Act No. 730 or Republic Act No. 10023. But no portion of the lots in Parcel III has,


as yet been excluded by such Acts from the coverage of Proclamation No. 10 and Proclamation
No. 63. And yet, according to the report of DENR-CAR, these lots within Parcel III, with an
aggregate area of 135,666 square meters, more or less, are totally occupied by certain citizens
of Baguio City for a long period of time and who have long sought legalization of their
occupancy thereof. These three lots are parts of Gibraltar Barangay.

The 135,666 square meters, more or less, an area which is sought to be excluded from
the coverage of Proclamation No. 10 Series of 1924, has long been a built up and developed
part of Gibraltar Barangay which was established by virtue of Presidential Decree Nos. 86 and
86-B and Presidential Decree No. 557 through Baguio City Council Resolution No. 130-70.

Factual ocular inspections by the officials of the DENR-CAR and by members of the
Baguio City officialdom confirm these facts. There are about five hundred fifty (550) to seven
hundred (700) families, more or less, with four thousand (4,000)
occupying the area, Most of the residential houses are two-storey single detached made of

lents who are presently

permanent materials. The roads and pathways are well-paved and maintained by the City
government. A school, a covered court (gym), and a health center have been established to cater
to the needs of the community.

‘The occupants are not paying realty taxes on the lands they are occupying which is a
big loss to the barangay and the City Government of Baguio.

In a report to the DENR Secretary sometime in 2002, the then Regional Director of
DENR-CAR has certified that the requirements of "Completed Staff Works” as then required
for a proposed issuance of Presidential Proclamation of portions of Parcel III, Forbes Park
Reservation, Gibraltar, Baguio has been complied with and no legal procedures have been
violated. Such compliance to the requirements for proclamation purposes are also validly
applicable in this bid to declare such portions of Parcel III to be excluded from the operations
of Proclamation No. 10, $. 1924 and Proclamation No. 63, S. 1925 and thereby turned into
alienable and disposable lands. It is noteworthy to mention that other government agencies
concemed, like DOH, interposed no objection to the proposed release. Releasing the area for
ion will positively help solve the squatting problems of the City while at the same

legal habit
time allowing the occupants to work for the titling of their lots that would eventually result in

the generation of taxes for the barangay and the City.


Likewise, the proposed declaration by law to release the areas concerned is
advantageous to the government which is consistent with the policies, plans, and programs of
the present Administration, and will redown to the greater good of the greater member of our
Filipino people.

In consideration to all the abovementioned statements and reasons, urgent approval of

this move is fervently requested.

MAY ( ‘AN


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

20th Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 4467

Introduced by HON. MAURICIO G. DOMOGAN

AN ACT TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN PORTIONS OF PARCEL NO. III OF THE FORBES
PARK RESERVATION IN THE CITY OF BAGUIO FROM THE OPERATION OF NO.
10 DATED 09 FEBRUARY 1924 AND PROCLAMATION NO. 63 DATED 06 AUGUST
1925 AND DECLARING THE SAME OPEN TO DISPOSITION UNDER THE
PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 730 OR UNDER RESIDENTIAL FREE
PATENT, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10023 TO ACTUAL AND/OR QUALIFIED
APPLICANTS SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS

Be it enacted.

SECTION 1. Short Title: This Act shall be known as the Gibraltar Barangay of Baguio
City Land Disposition Act of 2025.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the state to
pursue a continuing program of urban land reform and housing which will make available at
affordable cost decent housing and basic services to underprivileged and homeless citizens in

urban center.

SECTION 3. Disposition of Certain Portions of the National Government Forbes Park
Forest Reservation to bona fide residents and occupants - Lots No. 1, 2, and 3 of Parcel III of
the Forbes Park Forest Reservation are hereby excluded from the operation of Proclamation
No. 10 dated 09 February 1924 and Proclamation No. 63 dated 06 August 1925. and declared
‘open to disposition under the Provisions of Republic Act No. 730 to qualified applicants,


provided that the priority in the award of such lots be given to the present occupants or
applicants and/or their compulsory heirs, subject to conditions. The present boundaries and

limits of these lots are established and described as follows:

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT 1

A parcel of land, Lot 1, of sketch Plan, (Being a portion of Proc. No.10, Baguio Forbes
Park, Parcel 3), situated at Res. Sec. "D", Baguio townsite, Island of Luzon, bounded on the
N.W,, along lines 29-30-31-32-33-34 by public land (Res. Sec. "D", Baguio Townsite); on the
N. along lines 34-35-36-37-1 by lot 2, PSU-215081; on the E., along line 2-3 by Gibraltar road
15.00 meters wide; on the S.E. along lines3-4-5-6-7 by R.S. 619, Peoples Bank and Trust
Comp.; on the S.E. along lines 7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14- 15 by Gibraltar road 15.00 meters wide;
W., along lines15-16-17-18-19-20- 21-22-23-24-25-26-27 by Public land (Res.
Sec. "D", Baguio townsite) and on the W., along lines 27-28-29 by lot 146, Juan Molintas.
Beginning at a point mark "I" on plan, being S.31 deg. 49' E., 665.86 m. from Triangulation

station “PACDAL", Baguio townsite, thence;

1-2 7deg.33'E., 209.88 m. thence
2-3 S.67deg. 14'W., 72.82 m. thence
3-4 N.77deg. 55'W., 9.93 m. thence
4-5 44 deg. 36'W., 44.28 m. thence
5-6 10deg.40'W., 40.99 m. thence
6-7  52deg. 58'E., 113.52 m. thence
7-8  S.9deg.31'W., 42.37 m. thence
8-9 S$. 56deg. 13" 53.90 m. thence
9-10 S$. 18 deg. 36" 22.74 m. thence
10-11 S.3deg.32'W., 36.70 m. thence
11-12 $.78deg. 16'W., 25.32 m. thence
12-13 N.78deg. 53, W., 29.82 m. thence
13-14 §.57deg. 53° W., 78.32 m. thence
14-15 S.76 deg. 38'W., 50.27 m. thence
15-16 N.20deg. 39'W., 57.13 m. thence
16-17 S.67deg.31'W., 35.12 m. thence



17-18 S$. 85deg.26'W., 2.2.59 m. thence
18-19 N.83deg.08W., 30.51 m. thence
19-20 N. 55 deg. 33" 16.61 m. thence
20-21 S. 72 deg. 35'W., 99.39 m. thence
21-22 $.65deg.03 W.. 75.70 m. thence
22-23 S.14.deg. 35° W., 8.94 m. thence
23-24 $.24deg. 14'W., 58.57 m. thence
24-25 §. 85 deg. 53 W.. 25.08 m. thence
25-26 N. 56 deg. 04° W.. 41.93 m. thence
26-27 N.45deg.02'E., 55.14 m. thence
27-28 N.56deg.06'E., 155.66 m. thence
28-29 N.4 deg. 56'W., 70.06 m. thence
29-30 N.77deg.04'E., 185.51 m. thence
30-31 S. 5 deg. 42'E 23.37 m. thence
31-32 §. 89 deg. 36'E., 21.85. m. thence
32-33 N.20deg.42'E., 67.27 m. thence
33-34 -N. 55 deg. 26'E., 56.87 m. thence
34-35 N. 60 deg. 00'E., 32.68 m thence
35-36 N. 18 deg. 56" 67.15 m. thence
36-37 N. 18 deg. 00° 73.51 m. thence

37-1 N.49 deg. 25 E., 230.50 m. to point beginning, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED
SEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-SEVEN (107,377) square meters,

more or less.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT 2

A parcel of land, of Sketch Plan, (Being a portion of Proc. No. 10. Baguio Forbes Park,
Baguio townsite, Island of Luzon, bounded on the N.W.

Parcel 3), situated at Res. Sec. "D"
along lines 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 by Ambuclao road; on the N.W., along lines 13-14-
15-16-17-1 by the Republic of the Philippines CENRO Baguio. EMPAS and UP extension
compound. Beginning at a point mark "1" on plan, being S. 27 deg. 57" W., 1424.49 m. from
Triangulation station "PACDAL”, Baguio townsite, thence;


1-2 N.20deg.55'E., 32.11 m. thence
2-3. N,S8deg.12'E., 11.58 m. thence
3-4 N. 76 deg. 20" 74.70 m. thence
4-5 N.59deg.27'E., 8.50 m. thence
5-6 -N.3Sdeg.21'E., 24.19 m. thence
6-7 —_N. 10 deg. 35" 34.26 m. thence
7-8 N.28deg. 48° 23.23 m. thence
8-9 NN. 68deg.10'E., 72.42 m. thence
9-10 N40 deg. 38'E., 14.79 m. thence
10-11 N. [4 deg. 44°E., 58.96 m. thence
11-12 N.43deg. 18°E., 19.81 m. thence

12-13 N.87deg. 15'E., 22.93 m. thence
13-14 $.00deg.57'W., 100.80 m. thence
14-15 $.48deg.41'W., 74.65 m. thence
15-16 §,52deg.48'W., 126.69 m. thence

16-17 N.63 deg. 11" W., 20.10 m. thence

17-1 S. 63 deg. 18’ W., 88.51 m. to point of beginning, containing an area of SIXTEEN
THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FOURTY FOUR (16,344) square meters, more or less.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT 3

A parcel of land, Lot 3, of Sketch Plan, (Being a portion of Proc. No. 10, Baguio Forbes

Park, Parcel 3) situated at Res. Sec. "D", Baguio townsite, Island of Luzon. Bounded on the

N.W., along lines 1-2-3-4- by the Republic of the Philippines CENRO Baguio, EMPAS and UP

extension compound; on the N.E. along lines 4-5-6-7-8 by Public land (Res. Sec. "D", Baguio
townsite) and on the S. along lines 8-9-10-11-12-13- 14-15-1 by Gibraltar road 15.00 meters
wide. Beginning at a point mark "1" on plan, being S. 20 deg. 10' W., 1387.86 m. from

station "PACDA\

Baguio townsite, thence;

Triangulati

1-2 N. 39 deg. 49" E., 49.62 m. thence
23 N. 73 deg. 49’ E., 95.69 m. thence
34 N. 32 deg. 28" E., 73.99 m. thence


45 S.6 deg. 11" W., 36.40 m. thence

5-6 S. 23 deg. 51'E., 110.70 m. thence
6-7 N. 43 deg. 54' E. 32.58 m. thence
78 S. 45 deg. 13'E., 10.89 m. thence
8-9 S. 35 deg. 54’ E., 41.35 m. thence
9-10 S. 71 deg. 23" W., 15.72 m. thence
10- N. 78 deg. 15' W., 31.51 m. thence
WW
Me N. 49 deg. 16" W., 23.26 m. thence
12
12- N. 62 deg. 02' W., 54.02 m. thence
13
B- S. 78 deg. 08' W., 32.40 m. thence
4
14- S. 84 deg. 48° W., 12.37 m. thence
15

15-1 §. 83 deg. 29 W., 55.45 m. to point of beginning, containing an area of ELEVEN
THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FOURTY FIVE (11,945) square meters, more or less.

SECTION 4. The Land Management Services of the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and the City Government of Baguio are hereby directed to conduct a
validation survey of the disposable lands under this Act and to effect their sale to qualified

applicants.

SECTION 5. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof

inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect after its publication in at least two (2)

newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.