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Josiah Antonio - The Philippine Star
April 25, 2026 | 12:00am
Handout photo provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shows the Langub Elementary School in Davao City, one of the public school sites issued a special patent by the DENR.
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to roll out 660 legal titles for public school sites in 2026, a move aimed at granting permanent ownership of school lands and strengthening the foundation of the country’s education system.
“The most important thing we can give our children is a secure place to learn. When a school has a clear title, it is no longer at risk of being taken or disputed,” Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said.
The undertaking is a joint project with the Department of Education (DepEd), which provides DENR with a list of school sites and helps identify which schools need titling.
DENR regional and field offices then begin the survey process by measuring and mapping each site, verifying boundaries on the ground with school and community representatives and preparing legal documents for the issuance of special patents or presidential proclamations.
The Land Management Bureau provides overall oversight and monitors the project’s implementation.
As of March 6, DepEd has listed around 44,178 school sites.
In confirming boundaries and gathering local information, DENR regional offices invite school principals, barangay officials and community representatives to participate in field validation to ensure maps and legal descriptions reflect actual conditions on the ground.
After surveys and documentation are completed, DENR processes applications for special patents or presidential proclamations that formally recognize the school site as a permanent government asset.
The school-site titling work is part of DENR’s “Handog ng Pangulo: Luntiang Bukas” program – a four-part approach that “secures land titles, promotes climate-ready homes, creates public green spaces and restores forests while supporting livelihoods. Securing school land ensures that education assets remain part of resilient, livable communities.”
Cuna stressed that securing school land is an investment in people.
“A community that can keep its school land is a community that can plan for better teachers, better facilities and better chances for its children to succeed,” he said.
Orientations
Complementing efforts to strengthen the education sector, the DepEd is preparing schools and teachers for upcoming academic reforms.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara has ordered all heads of public schools nationwide to begin orientation sessions ahead of the opening of school year 2026-2027, as DepEd prepares to shift to a three-term school calendar.
Angara said the orientations, which began April 24, aim to ensure schools are ready for key teaching and learning reforms before classes open on June 8, 2026.
He said the early rollout of orientations signals a more deliberate approach to reform implementation.
At the same time, Angara directed school heads to protect teachers from additional workload as reforms are implemented.
The orientations cover adjustments under the three-term school calendar policy, including the introduction of an opening block at the start of classes dedicated to baseline assessments, school diagnostics and early-year programs such as feeding initiatives.
“This approach is meant to clear administrative and preparatory tasks before formal lessons begin, allowing teachers and learners to focus on instruction once classes are fully underway,” DepEd said. — Bella Cariaso
