The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has introduced new rules to make residential land titling faster, fairer, and more accessible to millions of Filipinos. Under DENR Administrative Order No. 2025-35, the agency overhauls the residential free patent system, aiming to reduce delays that have long affected family inheritance, infrastructure projects, and land dispute resolution.
Environment Secretary Raphael M. Lotilla said the reforms address long-standing uncertainty for untitled landowners. “A title is more than a document – it is stability, dignity, and protection from abuse,” he said, noting the new rules make the system more responsive to everyday realities.
The updated guidelines clarify who qualifies as an occupant and allow heirs, spouses, returning Filipinos, and those whose possession was interrupted for valid reasons to apply. This is especially significant in a country where many families live on ancestral land without formal titles, limiting their ability to use property as collateral or recover after disasters.
The reforms also speed up processing: applications must now be resolved within 120 days, electronic filing and tracking are available through the Land Administration and Management System (LAMS Philippines), and certain fees, like cadastral survey costs, are waived to protect low-income applicants. The ₱150 standardized application fee remains.
Beyond residential land, the DENR emphasized strengthening foreshore management to protect coastal areas from climate risks, unregulated development, and economic threats.
Secretary Lotilla highlighted 2026 as a key year for delivering faster services, safeguarding public land, and ensuring that land administration supports national development and public welfare.
