MEMORANDUM

FOR : The Acting Director

Land Management Bureau (LMB)
Plaza Cervantes, Binondo, Manila

FROM : In Charge, Office of the Regional Director

DENR Region 1
City of San Fernando (La Union)

SUBJECT : AN APPEAL TO ADOPT THE EXISTING UNIT COST OF

PHP 300.00 PER LOT FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION
ACTIVITY

Date :

This pertains to the report filed by Engr. Lensy Bunuen and Mr. Rodel Deato, Focal
Persons for the Reconstruction Activity for Region 1, during the conduct of validation on
June 14 to 16, 2017, wherein the following results were noted:

No. of Parcels Activity costing Total Cost

41,569 parcels existing in
the DCDB BUT the
Cadastral Maps are not
available
36,386 parcels newly
encoded lots based from
the existing Lot Data
Computation filed at the
Regional Office BUT the
Cadastral Maps are ot
available
TOTAL = 77,955 parcels
Printing of CMs @ Php 8 Php 332,552
per lot
Encoding and cleansing of Php 1,127,966
the LDC @ Php 31.00 per
lot
Printing of CMs @ Php 8.00 Php 291,088
per lot
Php 1,751,606

In this connection, may we respectfully raise the following circumstances:

On March 28 to April 1, 2016, the Land Management Bureau presided over an

Orientation/Workshop for the Implementation of Reconstruction Activity attended
primarily by all SMD Chiefs nationwide for the purpose of setting the parameters for the
reconstruction of survey records. As per the said parameters agreed upon by all SMD
Chiefs and Technical Personnel of the Land Management Bureau, DENR - Region 1 has
identified a target of 100, 000 lots to be reconstructed for CY 2017. The activity has a
budget of Php 300.00/lot for a total of Php 30, 000, 000.00 which amount was
subsequently downloaded to this Office.
Banking on the said agreement, DENR Region 1 immediately rolled out the necessary
activities towards the realization of the abovementioned target. We have hired contractual
personnel and office supplies. We have already spent a total of Php 3, 825,214.00 out of
the Php 30, 000, 000.00. We felt that we were on the right track and on our way to making
a lot of savings because as early as March 2017, we have already reconstructed 77, 955
parcels with 41, 569 parcels ready for printing of CMs (existing in the DCDB but the
cadastral maps are not available) and 36, 386 parcels (newly encoded based from
existing Lot Data Computations filed in the Regional Office but the cadastral maps are
not available) encoded, cleansed and ready for printing of CMs.
However, during the first assessment last April 26 to 28, 2017, the abovementioned
parameters were suddenly changed by the Land Management Bureau to exclude from
the identified targets those with readable lot data computations even if their cadastral
maps are not available. In effect, the Land Management Bureau basically disregarded
our accomplishments the fruit of our blood, sweat and tears guided by their very
instructions incorporated on the first agreement. As Engr. Juan P. Fernandez Chief,
SMD, DENR Region III pointed out during the discussions, The Land Management
Bureau changed the rules of the game, while the game is on-going.
Moreover, the foregoing circumstances fared from bad to worse when during the
validation of LMB personnel last June 14 to 16, 2017, we received another verbal
instruction that if the research of a subject lot did not go through the concerned Registry
of Deeds, the allocated amount for that activity is only Php 31.00 out of the original Php
300.00. If this was the intent from the very beginning, why download the whole Php 3,
000, 000.00 as part of the GAA in the first place? Why tell us during the discussions that
we could utilize savings for our TEVs in case our research will direct us to the LMB itself?
On our part, we are willing to adjust but said adjustment should be prospective. Present
instructions should be consistent with previous agreements not capricious and
whimsical. With all due respect, your verbal instructions cannot be applied retroactively
especially if they go against our previous agreements which were formally made in
writing. Justice and professional courtesy dictates that government entities should honor
previous agreements, especially among themselves. One cannot unilaterally renege on
such agreement, capriciously and whimsically to the detriment of our commitments.
Otherwise, it would sow administrative and fiscal anarchy inimical to the interests of the
public.
Please listen to us because we are the ones who are at the forefront of this activity. Thus,
we strongly and earnestly implore the following:
1. To uphold our previous agreement with respect 77, 955 parcels we have
accomplished.
2. That said accomplishments be allocated with the previously agreed upon unit cost
of Php 300.00 per lot without any conditions.
3. Should there be adjustments in the costing of activities, the present expenditures
of this Office prior to the changes in costing should be taken into consideration in
order to avoid over expenditure and in order to provide budget for the remaining
targets.

Fiat Justitia Ruant Coeli

Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.

GWENDOLYN C. BAMBALAN, CESE

NGN/JIE/NAA