Amendments to M.O. No. 119 (s. 1987)

July 14, 2003

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 119-A

AMENDING MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 119, SERIES OF 1987, WHICH PROVIDED GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCLAMATION NO. 172, SERIES OF 1987

WHEREAS, it is policy of the Government to regularize the housing and land tenure of underprivileged families;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. (Proc.) 2476 dated 07 January 1986, as superseded by Proc. 172 dated 16 October 1987 excluded from the operation of Proc. 423 dated 12 July 1957 which established the Fort William Mckinley (now known as Fort Andres Bonifacio) Military Reservation situated in the Municipalities of Pasig, Taguig, Pateros, Parañaque, and Pasay City, Metropolitan Manila, certain portions of land embraced therein with a total area of 4,436,478 square meters, more or less, known and identified as Barangays of Lower Bicutan, Western Bicutan and Signal Village in Taguig, Metro Manila and declared the same open to disposition in accordance with R.A. No. 730 in relation to the provisions of the Public Land Act, as amended;

WHEREAS, Memorandum Order No. (MO) 119 was issued on 16 October 1987 to implement the disposition set out in Proc. 172;

WHEREAS, there exist portions of the lands subject of Proc. 172 which have been designated as farmlands but are now no longer suitable for agricultural purpose as may be confirmed by the Department of Agrarian Reform and identified as suitable for socialized housing; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to amend certain provisions of MO 119 to effect the regularization of land and housing tenure of the underprivileged families abovementioned.

IN VIEW THEREOF, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, do hereby amend MO 119, as follows:

1. The following provision shall come after Paragraph 1:

"1-A For purposes of implementing the provisions of MO 119-A, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council is hereby designated as additional member of the Consultative Council, Policy Committee and the Committee on Awards."

2. Paragraph No. 6 is amended to read as follows:

"With reference to the farmlands situated within the proclaimed areas under Proclamation No. 172 dated 16 October 1987, the persons who are in actual occupation and possession and have been cultivating the aforesaid farmlands shall be given priority in the purchase of these farmlands provided that such persons are qualified under the provision of the Public Land Act to apply for purchase of agricultural public lands. Awards of farmlands shall not exceed one hectare.

The farmlands that have been actually settled on and determined by the Department of Agrarian Reform, to be no longer suitable for agricultural purposes by, and identified by the Housing and Urban Development Council as suitable for socialized housing, shall be disposed of in favor of the bona fide occupants therein, subject to private or vested rights if any there be and to requirements of rational development."

3. The following shall form a new paragraph after Paragraph No. 7:

"7-A. In the case of lands subject of disposition under MO 119-A, the pricing thereof shall be determined by the Policy Committee in accordance with existing rules and regulations and with due regard to affordability levels of the qualified beneficiaries therein."

4. All orders, circulars, rules and regulations or part thereof inconsistent with provisions of the Memorandum Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

5. This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 14th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Three.