The quest for land ownership in Barangay Santolan, Pasig: a case study on formal and informal land acquisition processes

Issue Date

1-2010

Abstract

This research investigated the processes utilized by different individuals or groups, both private and public, including informal settlers, to occupy and/or use land. Actual land procurement and/or utilization practices were then compared against those used by government and private land agencies to determine which processes adopted by each group follow the formal procedure specified in the law. Research data were gathered through interviews of families residing in the disputed property, the claimants, the officials handling land acquisition procedures at the assessor’s office and the officials of government agencies, and the examination of land titles, tax declarations, survey maps, and similar documents. Two major conclusions were made in this study: (1) that the legal system regarding land ownership allowed several persons, groups or corporate entities to make simultaneous claims on the same property by virtue of formal application through legal land acquisition processes or by “mere occupation” of a piece of land; and (2) that the confusion about multiple claimants and overlapping titles may be traced to the existence of several modes of land acquisition and the presence of many government agencies that handle similar applications for land acquisitions and titling. Furthermore, it was found that the problem is compounded by the fact that applications made through one office are neither communicated to nor coordinated with the other offices.

Source or Periodical Title

Sylvatrop: the technical journal of Philippine Ecosystems and Natural Resources

ISSN

0115-0022

Volume

20

Issue

1-2

Page

47-56

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Physical Description

illustrations

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

LANDOWNERS; LAND OWNERSHIP; LAND ACQUISITIONS; LAND TRANSACTIONS; INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS; PHILIPPINES

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