Legal basis and enabling authority
- Section 107 of Commonwealth Act No. 141 (as amended by Republic Act No. 6516) vests the President with the power to delegate relevant land administrative signing authority.
- The delegation is made upon recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
- The delegation covers district land offices “not previously authorized” under Executive Orders 407 and 420, both Series of 1973.
Purpose of the delegation
- The order authorizes specified district land officers to sign patents and certificates for qualifying landholdings.
- The delegation is limited to patents or certificates covering lands that meet the order’s acreage ceiling.
Coverage: who is authorized and where
- The authority to sign patents or certificates is delegated to District Land Officers of enumerated district land offices.
- The authorized district land offices are:
- I-2, Baguio City
- I-6, Bontoc, Mt. Province
- II-4, Aparri, Cagayan
- II-5, Tabuk, Kalinga-Apayao
- II-6, Lagawe, Ifugao
- II-7, Basco, Batanes
- II-8, Cabarroguis, Quirino
- III-5, Balanga, Bataan
- IV-1, Gen. Solano, Manila
- IV-2, Batangas City
- IV-4, Cavite City
- IV-7, Boac, Marinduque
- IV-10, San Jose, Occ. Mindoro
- IV-11, Mamburao, Occ. Mindoro
- IV-12, Odiongan, Romblon
- IV-13, Puerto Princesa City
- IV-14, Roxas, Palawan
- V-3, Sorsogon, Sorsogon
- V-4, Masbate, Masbate
- V-6, Virac, Catanduanes
- VI-4, San Jose, Antique
- VII-1, Cebu City
- VII-4, Cerena, Siquijor
- VIII-2, Catbalogan, Samar
- VIII-3, Maasin, Southern Leyte
- VIII-5, Borongan, Eastern Samar
- IX-5, Dipolog City
What may be signed (substantive limits)
- District land officers authorized by the order may sign patents or certificates.
- The patents or certificates must cover lands not exceeding five (5) hectares in area.
- The signing power applies to “patents or certificates covering lands” that fall within the acreage limit stated in the order.
Relationship to prior delegations
- The delegation is specifically extended to district land offices not previously authorized under Executive Orders 407 and 420 (both Series of 1973).
- District land officers in the listed offices receive this additional delegated power, subject to the acreage limit of five (5) hectares.
Transitory, separability, repealing, and sunset
- The order contains no separability clause, repealing clause, or sunset provision.