THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources wanted that lots in Pamilacan island, off Baclayon town, be declared as “alienable and disposable” in accordance with the prescribed parameters issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Mr. Eusalem Quiwag, the concurrent Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO-Tagbilaran) of the DENR voiced this concern in an exclusive interview last Friday. He said that by means of Congress enacting a law declaring it as A and D, land titling might be resolved. Land acquisition here has generated a controversy arising from alleged illegal ownership of lots in the island. The island, he said, is still “unclassified” or considered as timberland based on P. D. 705. Thus, land applications for ownership have been stalled and cannot be processed unless there's a new law declaring it under the A and D classification, he said.

He said all land applications here under the CENRO Tagbilaran jurisdiction have been frozen and archived “for the moment” by the DENR until a new law would be passed by Congress. But, in actuality, the island's current situation, including the “established community” is already populated and the recent tourism boom due to lucrative dolphin-whale-watching industry, cannot be considered as such (timberland), he explained. As the tourism is picking up here, a lot of would-be owners wanted their properties titled so they can invest for tourism. Some have already land titles after the island was conducted cadastral survey sometime in the 1960s but only to be questioned later on because the island remains “unclassified,” said Quiwag. Pamilacan barangay captain Tanie Gaas said in separate interview yesterday that he also wanted that this land predicament be resolved so that tourism development here would push through. He said that he was told that the law on this concern is already pending in the Senate for consideration. (RVO)