ILOILO CITY, March 11 -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released 2,204 free residential and agricultural patents covering 882.097 hectares (ha) in Western Visayas in 2023, exceeding the 1,600 target patents in the region.

"Free patents for residential and agricultural lands are given to qualified applicants in a much more simplified and practical administrative titling process, giving a sense of security to occupants or owners of alienable and disposable lands," the DENR said in a statement on Monday.

The DENR, through the licenses, patents, and deeds division, in partnership with provincial and community environment and natural resources offices (PENROs/CENROs), released over 1,255 agricultural free patents ...