SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )First R egular Session )

S E N A T E

.S e n a teo( tiif raiftr?tarp

'17 MAY 16 P 4 -11

RECEIVtO By;

COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 79

Prepared and subm itted jo in tly by the Committees on Justice and Human Rights;

and, Environment and Natural Resources on ̂ ^ 2017

Re: Senate Bill No. 1454

R ecom m end ing its app rova l in s u b s titu tio n o f Senate Bill Nos. 101, 645; and 1260.

Sponsor: S ena to r G o rd o n .

M R . PRESIDENT:

The C om m ittees on Justice and H um an Rights; and. E n v iro n m e n t and N a tura l

Resources to w h ich was re fe rre d Senate Bill No. 101, in tro d u c e d by S ena to r G ordon,

e n tit le d :

"AN ACT

REMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS UNDER SECTIONS 11 8 ,1 19 ,1 21 , 122, AND 123 OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 141, AS AMENDED, ON FREE PATENTS ISSUED UNDER SECTION 44 THEREOF"

Senate Bill No. 645, in tro d u ce d by S ena to r A qu in o IV, e n tit le d :

"AN ACT

REMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS UNDER SECTIONS 118, 119 AND 121 OF CHAPTER XIII, TITLE VI OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 141 ON AGRICULTURAL FREE PATENTS ISSUED UNDER SECTION 44 THEREOF"

and Senate Bill No. 1260, in tro d u ce d by S ena to r G ordon , e n tit le d :

"AN ACT

REMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE REGISTRATION OF LAND TITLES UNDER SECTIONS 118 AND 119 OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 141 OR THE PUBLIC LAND ACT, AS AMENDED, ON FREE PATENTS ISSUED UNDER SECTION 44 THEREOF"

have cons ide red th e sam e and have th e h o n o r to re p o r t th e m back to th e Senate

w ith th e re co m m e n d a tio n th a t th e a ttached Senate Bill No. 1 4 5 4 . p repared

by the C om m ittees , e n tit le d :

“ AN ACT

REMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE REGISTRATION OF LAND TITLES UNDER

SECTIONS 118, 119, AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS AGAINST ENCUMBRANCE OR ALIENATION ON FREE PATENTS ISSUED UNDER SECTION 44 OF C O M M O N W EALTH ACT NO. 141 OR THE PUBLIC LAND ACT, AS AM EN D ED ”

be app roved in s u b s titu tio n o f Senate Bill Nos. 101, 645, and 1260 w ith Senators

G ordon, A qu in o IV and V illa r as a u th o rs th e re o f.

R espectfu lly su b m itte d :

Chairpersons:

SEN. CYNTHIA A. VILLAR ^Committee on Environment and N atura l Resources

^ N . RICJiARDJ. GORDONCojprrrmee on Justice and Human Rights; Member, Committee on Environment and Natura l Resources

Vice Chairpersons:

SEN. LOREN LEGARDACommittee on Environment and Natura l Resources

J. PANFjLO M . LACSEN. PA^RLO M . LACSONC o m m itte e ^ Justice and Human Rights

SEN. JOSEPH V ia O R V. EJERCITOCom m ittee on Environm ent and N a tu ra l Resources; M em ber, C om m ittee on Justice and Human Rights

Members:

I n tJu a n I ^ g u e l f . z u b ir i

?ndfmttee on Justice and Human Rights; Committee on Environment and Natura l Resaurces

SEN. EMMANUEL "M AN N Y" D. PAQUIAOCommittee on Justice and Human Rights; Committee on Environment and N atura l Resources

SEN. ALAN PETER "COMPANERO" S. CAYETANOCommittee on Justice and Human Rights

SEN. GRACE POECommittee on Justice and Human Rights

— iS L p y c / id u jJ l SEN. RISA HONTIVEROS VCommittee on Justice and Human Rights; Committee on Environment and N atura l Resources

SEN. JO m /ILLANUEVAC o m m itt it on Environment and N atura l Resources

SEN. FRANCIS N. PANGILINANCommittee on Justice and Human Rights; Committee on/fyivironm ent and N atura l Resources

SEN. GF^GORIO B. HONASAN IICommittee on Environment and N atura l Resources

SEN. SONNY ANGARACommittee on Environment and N atura l Resources

SEN. MARIA LOURDES NANCY S. BINAYCommittee on Environment and N atura l Resources

VSEN. ArjTONlO "SONNY" F. TR l LANES IVCommittee on Environment and N atura l Resources

ISEN. FRANCIS G.CSCUDEROCommittee on Environment and Natura l Resources

SEN. PAOLO BENIGNO/'BAM" AQUINO IVCommittee on Environment and Natura l Resources

Ex Officio Members:

R^IPH G y ^ E ^ ^R resident/ro Tempore M a jo rity Leader

FR/yjKLIN M. DRILON/ M inority Leader

It/ . l i 14-

AQUILINO "KOKO" PIMENTELSenate President

t̂orp

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )First Regular Session )

S E N A T E

SENATE BILL NO. 1454(In Substitution o f Senate Bill Nos. 101, 645, and 1260)

17 MAY 16 ,P 4 n 1

7RECEIVtuBV;

Prepared by the Committees on Justice and Human Rights and Environment and Natural Re­sources with Senators Gordon, Aquino IV, and Villar as authors thereof

1

9

AN ACTREMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE REGISTRATION OF LAND TITLES UNDER SECTIONS 118, 119, AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS AGAINST ENCUMBRANCE OR ALIENATION ON FREE PATENTS ISSUED UNDER SECTION 44 OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 141 OR THE PUBLIC LAND ACT, AS AMENDED

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

SECTION. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the Agricultural Free Patent Re­

form Act o f 2017.

3 Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. - It is the policy o f the State to remove the restrictions

4 on free patents to a llow the e ffic ient and effective u tiliza tion o f these lands to contribu te to

5 wealth creation, entrepreneurship, and economic development.

6 Sec. 3. Removal o f Restrictions. - Agricultural public lands alienated or disposed in

7 favor o f qualified public land applicants under Section 44 o f Com m onwealth Act No. 141, as

8 amended, shall not be subject to restrictions regarding encumbrances, conveyances, trans-

9 fers, or dispositions imposed under Sections 118 and 119 thereof. Agricultural free patent

10 shall now be considered as t it le in fee simple and shall not be subject to any restriction

11 against encumbrance o r alienation.

12 Sec. 4. Retroactive Effect. - This Act shall have retroactive e ffect and any restriction

13 regarding encumbrances, conveyances, transfers, o r dispositions imposed on agricultural

1 free patents issued under Section 44 o f Commonwealth Act No. 141, as amended, before

2 the e ffectiv ity o f this Act shall be removed and are hereby im m ediately lifted.

3 Sec. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or o ther

4 issuances or parts the reo f inconsistent w ith the provisions o f this Act are hereby repealed or

5 m odified accordingly.

6 Sec. 6. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision o f this Act is declared uncon-

7 stitu tional, the rem ainder o f this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in

8 force and effect.

9 Sec. 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect a fte r fifteen (15) days fo llow ing

10 the com pletion o f its publication e ither in the Official Gazette o r in a newspaper o f general

11 circulation in the Philippines.

12 Approved,