Naga alienable land bill on the way-Gullas

 CEBU, Philippines - After a decade, a bill that reclassifies the public lands of the City of Naga into alienable and disposable is nearing approval at the Senate.

 First district Rep. Eduardo Gullas, author of House Bill 6215, in a press conference yesterday at his office, said his bill has already been “enrolled” in the Senate, and Sen. Chiz Escudero, chairman on the Committee on Natural Resources, assured him it’s as good as approved.

After Senate approval, the bill will be endorsed to Malacañang.

Gullas said once approved this law will give the many landless residents of the City of Naga the opportunity to own the parcels of public lots they are occupying.

He said 71 percent of the city’s total land area is either timberland or public lands, which means several residents will benefit from this law. According to the Land Management Bureau website special patents can be issued “over alienable or disposable public lands pursuant to special laws.”

“Once this (bill) is approved, these (public) lands become alienable and disposable,” Gullas said.  These lands can be made into agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial or other productive purposes.

In the committee hearing, Gullas said the Bureau of Forest Management made a few amendments to his bill to reduce the area of agriculture, especially that part of Naga prone to landslide.

Gullas clarified that his bill does not cover the controversial Balili property in Barangay Tinaan, as it does “not include swamps.” A big portion of the Balili property, which the Provincial Capitol bought for several millions years ago, is underwater.

Gullas said this bill was first filed during the term of his brother former Congressman Jose “Dodong” Gullas in the 12th Congress.  It was approved in the Lower House, but got stuck in the Senate because of several questions. When he returned to Congress after his election in 2004, he refiled it again, but still it met the same problem. Gullas said it was only in this present Congress that the bill got this far.   (FREEMAN)