Grant of Free Patents to Occupants of Public Agricultural Land

June 21, 1952

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 782

AN ACT TO GRANT FREE PATENTS TO OCCUPANTS OF PUBLIC AGRICULTURAL LAND SINCE OR PRIOR TO JULY FOURTH, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE

SECTION 1. Any provision of law, rules and regulations to the contrary notwithstanding, any natural born citizen of the Philippines who is not the owner of more than twenty-four hectares, and who since July fourth, nineteen hundred and forty-five or prior thereto, has continuously occupied and cultivated, either by himself or through his predecessors in interest, a tract or tracts of agricultural public lands subject to disposition, shall be entitled, under the provisions of this Act, to have a free patent issued to him for such tract or tracts of such land not to exceed twenty-four hectares. The application shall be accompanied with a map and the technical description of the land occupied along with affidavits proving his occupancy from two disinterested persons residing in the municipality or barrio where the land may be located. cd

SECTION 2. The Director of Lands upon receipt of the application shall cause notices of the same to be posted in conspicuous places in the capital of the province, the municipality and the barrio where the land applied for is situated for a period of two consecutive weeks, requiring in said notices everyone who has any interest in the matter to present his objections or adverse claims, if any, before the application is granted.

SECTION 3. At the expiration of the time provided in the preceding section, the Director of Lands, if satisfied of the truth of the statements contained in the application and in the affidavits attached thereto and that the applicant comes within the provisions of this Act, shall issue the corresponding title in favor of the applicant for the tract of land applied for if there had not been any objections or adverse claims registered in his office.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 21, 1952

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 48, No. 9, p. 3743 in September 1952