Leyte university to offer land administration, management courses

MANILA, Philippines - The Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay, Leyte will offer degree and non-degree courses on land administration and management (LAM) next school year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said yesterday.

DENR Secretary Lito Atienza, in a statement, said the pilot testing at VSU is in preparation for the regular offering of the LAM degree and non-degree courses in other academic institutions to help strengthen land administration and management in the country.

“Through the new educational program on land administration, we will be able to address LAM-related problems in the country, which have been identified as a stumbling block to our economic growth,” Atienza said.

He said the rationalization of the country’s land administration and management is a thrust of President Arroyo as part of the overall effort to provide land security to Filipinos, particularly those in urban areas who depend largely on land for their livelihood.

Atienza said the VSU faculty members tasked to handle the courses are now undergoing academic training in Australia to prepare them for the program.

He said the graduate LAM program was the result of a memorandum of understanding that the DENR, through its Second Land Administration and Management Project (LAMP2), and the VSU forged last March 23. 

LAMP2 executive director Samuel Peñafiel and VSU president Jose Bacusmo signed the memorandum.