PHOTO: DENR Central Luzon
City of San Fernando, Pampanga — Twenty-four beneficiaries in Zambales received legal land titles from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), granting them more secure land tenure and better opportunities for stable housing, livelihood, and long-term economic security.
Awarded during the program “Handog Titulo: From Vulnerability to Stability, A Title of Hope,” the titles provide beneficiaries with legal proof of ownership that can help protect them from displacement and improve their access to social and economic opportunities.
DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo said secure land titles are not just legal documents but instruments that empower families and communities.
PHOTO: DENR Central Luzon
“Secure land titles are more than documents. They are instruments of empowerment that protect families from displacement, unlock access to credit and livelihood opportunities, and enable women to claim their rightful place in community decision-making,” Pablo said.
He added that stronger land rights, especially for women, help build more resilient households and communities.
Olongapo Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edward Sernadilla said one of the recipients was the PREDA Foundation, a non-government organization led by Fr. Shay Cullen that supports vulnerable children and communities.
Sernadilla explained that the titles awarded to PREDA Foundation beneficiaries were fruits of the strong collaboration of the DENR, local communities, and the City Government of Olongapo led by Mayor Rolen Paulino.
For her part, Marife Castillo, head of the DENR provincial office in Zambales, noted that the program reflects the government’s continuing effort to make land titling a pathway toward dignity and economic stability.
“Handog Titulo transforms hope into tangible ownership. We will continue to work with partners and communities to ensure that land titling becomes a pathway to dignity, economic independence, and long-term stewardship of our natural resources,” Castillo said.
The title distribution formed part of the agency’s observance of National Women’s Month, highlighting the role of secure land ownership in advancing women’s empowerment and inclusive development. (PR-DENR Central Luzon)