GMA orders cadastral survey to facilitate sale of Napocor lands

President Arroyo has ordered a cadastral survey of all unregistered land properties of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) to facilitate the government’s implementation of the sale of these assets as required by the Power Reform Act.

The President issued the directive almost five months after she signed into law the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (RA 9136) which set into motion the privatization of Napocor.

President Arroyo issued her directives to three government agencies in Memorandum Order No. 39, dated Oct. 19, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR.

Section 47 of RA 9136, provides that, among others, the real (estate) properties of the NPC shall be privatized.

The President however, noted "a great number" of the real properties of the NPC are still unregistered and/or have not been segregated and have no certificates of title.

Accordingly, the President directed the Lands Management Bureau to immediately conduct a cadastral survey of all unregistered properties of Napocor.

The President instructed the Office of the Solicitor General "to immediately institute the necessary cadastral proceedings before the proper courts for and on behalf of Napocor," and to secure the appropriate court order for the registration of the lands involved.

Napocor owns a number of lands where it has power plants and offices in various parts of the country in its grids from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.