ENVIRONMENT Secretary Jose L. Atienza Friday led groundbreaking rites for the permanent one-stop-shop (OSS) building of the Land Administration and Management Project Phase 2 (LAMP2-Bohol) at the New Capitol Site in Tagbilaran City. Atienza, former mayor of the country's capital, Manila, lauded the drive of Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado in taking big steps towards poverty reduction and economic growth through secure land titling and equitable property valuation. He may head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) now, but having also come from the local government units (LGUs), the secretary emphasized that he knows how the common tao feels. He said some people may dream of palatial houses and fancy cars but the poor holds dear in his heart his house no matter how small, and his piece of land with which he ekes out a living. Simplifying the titling of lands therefore is a major move towards poverty reduction, he said.

For his part, Aumentado thanked DENR, the World Bank that provided the funding for LAMP2 to the tune of US$40 million through Acting Country Director Jehan Arulpragasam the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) through 1st Counselor for Development Cooperation Sam Zappia for the technical assistance and other partner agencies for providing Bohol with another tool in fighting the menace of poverty. “Experience shows that it is very difficult for the poor to obtain land titles. But with LAMP2, justice is given impetus and enhancement,” he said, emphasizing the adage that those who have less in life must have more in law. “The current land administration system needs much improvement. Once operational, the one-stop-shop will simplify the titling process,” he added. Aumentado chairs the LAMP2 Local Steering Committee (LSC) that chose the old Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) site beside the Hall of Justice as the site of the multi-storey OSS LAMP2 building.

The building, estimated to cost a minimum of P12 million, will house the offices of DENR's Land Management Bureau, the Department of Justice (DOJ)/Land Registration Authority (LRA), the provincial Registry of Deeds, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Provincial Assessor's Office, personnel from the Provincial Treasurer's Office, DOJ, Department of Finance (DoF) and other agencies that have participation in titling. The basement will be used as document archives while on the ground floor will be the titling frontliners. The DENR is the lead agency in the implementation of LAMP2, an inter-agency project, in partnership with the DOJ/LRA and the DOF, funded by the World Bank and with technical assistance from AusAID.

Meanwhile, Arulpragasam said the World Bank is very pleased to continue to support the Government of the Philippines' implementation of LAMP2 in its commitment to increase tenure security and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the land administration system and securing land tenure rights. “Land is the most fundamental of all resources, and the ownership of land and property are among the most important and most valuable assets of people, business and government,” he said. On the other hand, Zappia said in April 2006, the Australian Government launched its White Paper – Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability. The paper provides the strategic framework to guide the direction and delivery of Australia's overseas aid program over the next 10 years. It also provides an account of how the Australian Government will approach the doubling of Australia's aid budget to around $4 billion annually by 2010.

“This new strategy renews Australia's commitment to assist the Philippines to reduce poverty, enhance economic growth and maintain national stability. LAMP 2 is one program that has direct links with achieving economic growth,” he said. Assistant State Counsel Ruben Fondevilla represented Acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera. Reps. Edgar Chatto and Adam Relson Jala of Bohol's 1st and 3rd Districts as well as DENR's and DOF's top national and regional brass also attended the twin events. The unveiling of the marker, lowering of the time capsule and tree-planting all at the site capped the morning's program. In the afternoon, Aumentado, Atienza, Arulpragasam, Zappia, Chatto and Jala distributed 30 free patents to beneficiaries from Corella town in rites held at the public market. The distribution also marked the launching of the Systematic Title Adjudication Field Office in Corella. Mayor Vito Rapal thanked LAMP2 for piloting his town in the endeavor.