1 Republic of the Philippines
2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
3 Constitution Hills, Quezon City
4
5 EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
6 First Regular Session
7
8 5188
9 HOUSE BILL NO.
10
il we a
Introduced by REP. JOHNNY T. PIMENTEL
12a, 7 F 7
13
14 EXPLANATORY NOTE
15

16 This bill seeks to convert into alienable and disposable land that portion within the former
17 concessional area of Paper Industry Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP Resources, Inc.),
18 _ in the City of Bislig and in the Municipalities of Hinatuan, Lingig, and Tagbina, Province of
19 Surigao del Sur, actually tilled and occupied by farmer-settlers, in preparation of its eventual
20 distribution to the bona fide and long-term farmers/ occupants.

21

22. The subject land is classified as forest land. However, farmers have gradually settled on the
23 land, planting vegetables, fruit trees, bananas, root crops and raising livestock. These farmers
24 have developed certain areas of the forest land into an agricultural land. It is high time for
25 these areas to be formally classified into alienable and disposable agricultural land and its
26 tenant-farmers be recognized as legitimate owners. It is about time to allow them the gift of
27 ownership over lands that they have nurtured for so long.

28

29 Furthermore, our present constitution recognizes the rights of farmers, who are landless, to
30 own the lands that they plough pursuant to Section 4, Article XII of the same.

31

32 The approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

33

37 REP.JO
38
39

41

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5188
HOUSE BILL NO.

AN ACT
TO RECLASSIFY A DEVELOPED PORTION OF FOREST LAND UNDER
CONCESSION WITH PICOP, LOCATED IN THE CITY OF BISLIG AND THE
MUNICIPALITIES OF HINATUAN, LINGIG, AND TAGBINA, PROVINCE OF
SURIGAO DEL SUR. INTO ALIENABLE AND DISPOSABLE LAND OF THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISTRIBUTING THE SAME TO BONA FIDE AND
LONG TERM FARMERS/ OCCUPANTS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. The portion of forest lands within the concessional area of Paper Industry
Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP), in the City of Bislig, Municipalities of Hinatuan,
Lingig, and Tagbina, Province of Surigao del Sur, which is actually tileld and occupied by
farmer-settlers, is hereby reclassified and declared as alienable and disposable land.

Section 2. The aforementioned lands shall be distributed in ownership to bona fide and long-
term farmers/ occupants thereon, but the existing creeks in the same area shall be given in
usufruct to their respective municipalities; Provided, that the said bona fide and long-term
farmers/ occupants may manage and develop the said creeks upon payment by them of
reasonable compensation to the City and/or Municipalities concerned.

Section 3. The scheme of distribution of the land, including the identities of the bona fide and
long-term farmers/ occupants thereon, shall be prepared by a Committee which shall be
composed of the following: a representative of the Department of Environmental and Natural
Resources as Chairperson, a representative of the Department of Agrarian Reform as Vice-
Chairperson, the Mayors of the City of Bislig, Municipalities of Hinatuan, Lingig, and
Tagbina, the Head of farmers’ organization, and the Provincial Director of the Philippine
National Police as Members. The scheme of distribution shall include the technical description

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of each lot pertaining to each of the farmers/ occupants, following the boundaries of existing
social forestry stewardship and/or similar contracts that may have been awarded in their
favor: Provided, that said scheme of distribution shall be equitable as possible without gross
disparities among the awardees.

Conflicts shall be decided by the Committee after due hearing, appealable to the Department
Secretary under whose jurisdiction the issue involved falls. The Secretary's decision or order
on appeal may be subject to a petition for review by the Office of the President within fifteen
(15) days from promulgation of notice of the decision appealed from; Provided, that said
petition for review shall be decided within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof; otherwise, the
decision or the order appealed from shall be deemed ratified and final.

Section 4. Once the scheme of distribution is approved by the Committee, the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources shall give the technical descriptions, survey, map and
similar documents to the DAR, which shall undertake the actual distribution of the land under
the principles of agrarian reform and the applicable provisions of the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law and other related laws.

Section 5. The existing creeks in the area shall be plotted, surveyed and segregated from the
other portions of the area by the DENR, and shall be given in usufruct to the City of Bislig,
Municipalities of Hinatuan, Lingig, and Tagbina. The Mayor of the concerned municipality
and the Head of the organization of the farmer-beneficiaries shall meet to discuss and
determine the reasonable compensation to be paid to the City for the management and
development thereof by said beneficiaries. In case of disagreement, the Head of the DENR
Regional Office shall decide.

Section 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazettee
or in at least two (2) national newspaper of the general circulation.

Approved,

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