MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has initiated the formation of an inter-agency council aimed at creating a comprehensive master list of all government-owned lands, as stated in the newly signed Administrative Order No. 21. This move is part of a broader strategy to optimize land use for national development, in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.
According to Philippines News Agency, which was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on April 30, the need for a consolidated database of idle government lands is crucial for establishing livable communities and achieving efficient land allocation and utilization for the country’s development goals. The council, co-chaired by the heads of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), with the Department of Agriculture (DA) serving as vice chair, includes members from various other government agencies. These agencies are required to submit their land inventories for consolidation into the digital master list.
The DENR-Land Management Bureau (LMB) will act as the secretariat for the Coordinating Council, which is tasked with submitting the digital master list to the President within 180 days following the implementation of the guidelines of AO 21. The order took effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation, signaling a significant step toward more strategic and effective management of government land resources.