The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued new rules to speed up the titling of residential lands, aiming to strengthen security of tenure and reduce long-standing land disputes affecting millions of Filipino families.
Under DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2025-35, the agency revised the guidelines for issuing Residential Free Patents by imposing a 120-day processing period, expanding who may qualify as applicants, and simplifying requirements to make land titling faster and less costly.
In a statement, Environment Secretary Raphael M. Lotilla said the reforms address delays that have left many families in legal uncertainty.
“A title is more than a document—it is stability, dignity, and protection from abuse,” Lotilla said, adding that land governance must be efficient and responsive to the realities faced by ordinary Filipinos.
Faster processing
The order enforces a maximum 120-day processing period for residential free patent applications. Applicants may file in person, by courier, or electronically, with applications recorded and tracked through the Land Administration and Management System (LAMS).
To prevent delays caused by documentary requirements, the DENR now allows applicants to submit certification from the Land Registration Authority within 90 days from filing, instead of requiring it at the outset.
The DAO also retains the standardized ₱150 application fee and removes cadastral survey costs for patents issued under the program, a move intended to protect applicants—particularly low-income families—from excessive charges.
Expanded eligibility
The revised guidelines expand the definition of “actual occupants” to include those whose possession of the land was interrupted due to employment, marriage, disasters, or other valid reasons. Heirs, spouses, and immediate family members may also apply, provided they can show continuous possession through a predecessor-in-interest for at least 10 years.
Former Filipinos who have reacquired Philippine citizenship are likewise eligible, subject to proof of retention or reacquisition.
Residential free patents may cover untitled public alienable and disposable lands zoned as residential or mixed use by local governments, including certain townsite reservations and delisted or abandoned military camps, subject to area limits under existing laws.
Transparency and safeguards
The DENR retained mandatory posting of notices of application in barangay halls and municipal buildings for 15 days to ensure transparency. Applications may be suspended if protests are filed, with processing resuming only after resolution.
The order also clarifies rules on substituting applicants in cases of death or transfer of rights during the pendency of an application, reducing the risk of disputes among heirs and transferees.
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