House panel OKs bill declaring Kalayaan Islands Group ‘alienable, disposable’ land

The House Committee on Natural Resources has approved a measure seeking to declare the Kalayaan Island Group as "alienable and disposable" land for agricultural, residential and commercial purposes.

The committee approved House Bill 5614, itself authored and introduced by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas.

In the explanatory note of the measure, the House leaders highlighted the need to declare the island group as alienable and disposable, in order to promote permanent dwelling and develop livelihood for its residents.

The move will also spur growth of business opportunities and development of trade and industry through investments, they said.

Alvarez and Fariñas pointed out that the Kalayaan Island Group is home to rich fishing grounds and significant oil and natural gas reserves vital to the security and economic survival of the country.

The Municipality of Kalayaan, they added, is also in the process of coming up with new projects aimed at promoting tourism in the area.

“Even residents who have been long tilling and developing the parcels of land within the Kalayaan Island Group cannot apply for title for their occupied area,” the explanatory note of the bill read.

Presidential Decree No. 1596 states that the Kalayaan Island Group is declared as a distinct and separate municipality of Palawan, composed of islets and reefs including Pagasa, Likas, Parda, Lawak, Kota, Patag, Parata, Ayungin Reef and Rizal Reef.

During the House panel hearing, Armed Forces deputy chief of staff Lieutenant General Salvador Melchor Mison Jr. enumerated the military's development plans for the nine Kalayaan Group of Islands, all of which amounts to P11.6 billion.

These include:

• Enhancement of the habitability of the islands
• Construction of a berthing space for Philippine Navy vessels and other vessels
• Upgrading of the defense structures of the islands
• Improvement of existing facilities such as roads and air strip
• Provision of water and power facilities and communication equipment

— RSJ, GMA News