MALACAÑANG

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 504

LIFTING OF THE BAN ON THE ACCEPTANCE AND PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC LANDS IN BAGUIO CITY, CREATING A COMMITTEE TO SCREEN AND EVALUATE ALL SUCH PUBLIC LAND APPLICATIONS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Pursuant to a memorandum of December 18, 1976, the then Secretary of Natural Resources was directed to conduct an investigation of allegedly irregular acquisition of “National Lands” in the City of Baguio and to suspend the awards of such lands. The investigation as directed having already been conducted and the report thereon submitted, I hereby lift the said suspension and authorize the acceptance, processing and issuance of awards and patents to lands covered by public land applications in the said City. All such applications, however, shall be screened and evaluated by a Committee which is hereby created composed of the Presidential Executive Assistant or his authorized representative, as Chairman, and the Director of Lands and the City Mayor of Baguio as Members, to:

a) determine the suitability of the area applied for the purpose for which the same is intended, including the qualifications and capability of the applicants to underwrite the project and to put the said land into beneficial use, to preclude the acquisition of such lands by speculators;

b) grant clearance to all public land application in the City of Baguio;

c) monitor compliance by applicants with all legal requirements regarding construction of the improvements appropriate for the purpose for which the land has been applied for, including payment of the purchase price and all other legal fees.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Lands shall accept and process public land applications in Baguio only upon prior clearance from the Committee.

The Committee is hereby authorized to create a Secretariat which will assist it in the performance of its duties.

The Members of the Committee and the Secretariat are hereby also authorized to receive reasonable monthly transportation and representation allowances in the performance of their respective duties, chargeable against the appropriation of their respective agencies.

This Order is issued in the public interest and shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 1st day of February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-six.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) JOAQUIN T. VENUS, JR.

Deputy Presidential Executive Assistant

Source: Malacañang Records Office

Office of the President of the Philippines. (1986). [Administrative Order Nos. : 439 Р504]. Manila : Malaca̱ang Records Office.