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APPS AND DRONES FOR BETTER LAND GOVERNANCE
ANGELA ARNANTE, JAIME FAUSTINO, RENE SANAPO
Technology for Property Rights Project, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Philippines
Paper prepared for presentation at the
“2018 WORLD BANK CONFERENCE ON LAND AND POVERTY”
The World Bank - Washington DC, March 19-23, 2018
Copyright 2018 by author(s). All rights reserved. Readers may make verbatim copies of this
document for non-commercial purposes by any means, provided that this copyright notice
appears on all such copies.
Abstract
A time and cost study on public land titling revealed that land adjudication and land
surveying are time-consuming and expensive. This paper describes two reforms that addresses
these constraints. First is the use of mobile applications in accepting and managing title
applications under the adjudication process. Second is the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS)
or drones to support land surveys. The implementation of the reforms is done under the
Development Entrepreneurship model where technically sound and politically feasible reforms are
pursued. The mobile applications make adjudication efficient and transparent while the drones
generate high resolution photos and survey-grade maps that meet government standards. The paper
concludes that both technological interventions have the potential to improve the titling process
and eventually, the state of land governance in the Philippines.
Key Words:
Apps, Drones, Land Rights, Policy, Development Entrepreneurship
INTRODUCTION
A time and cost study of public land titling revealed two major constraints - the process of
adjudication, and the conduct of subdivision survey. Two technology-oriented reforms were introduced to
address these constraints. The use of mobile applications and unmanned aerial systems (UAS, or drones),
in the field of property rights is an innovation in public land titling in the Philippines.
Adjudication involves determining the basis for a title application, and identifying, gathering, and
evaluating documents to support the claim. This process can be time-consuming and costly. For residential
land title applications, the government is mandated to finish the application within 120 days; that is from
the acceptance of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) until the
endorsement to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO). However, prior to the
acceptance of the CENRO, an applicant can take a lot of time gathering the needed documents. The process
of gathering documents can drag the process or discourages the applicant to pursue further.
The CENRO receives applications for public land titling. In practice, applications are not officially
received unless all the required supporting documents are in order. It is in the process of completing these
requirements that applicants may have to spend substantial effort, time and money - so much so that many
applicants may abandon their application. The difficulties in this stage include identifying all requirements
at one time (instead of asking the applicants to submit one requirement after another), keeping track of
submitted documents, and safekeeping the same.
Another barrier is the acquisition of an approved land survey. The Philippines has established
standards for accuracy, and professional geodetic engineers have localized tariffs for their services. On
average, a subdivision survey costs Php 10,000 or $200 per parcel, using such tools as Transits, Total
stations and GPS (see Table 2). This cost is not easy to shoulder by low to middle income Filipino
landowners. It can also take sixty (60) days to survey a lot and have it approved by appropriate authority
(Technology for Property Rights, 2017a). Aerial photogrammetry as a means of providing cadastral/parcel
information, had been tested a few decades earlier but had been considered insufficient in terms of accuracy.
A mobile application is being developed to address the bottleneck in adjudication while the use of
drones is being introduced in land surveying. The technology-oriented reforms are being done under the
Development Entrepreneurship framework. The goal is to look for reforms that are technically sound and
politically feasible. Therefore, this study demonstrates how the proposed technology reforms are being
introduced to titling process, eventually land governance, given the current political milieu and capacities
of partner governance agencies and local government units (LGUs).
Both reforms are being implemented by the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) and The Asia
Foundation (TAF) in partnership with the Land Management Bureau (LMB) of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). FEF is a public advocacy organization in the Philippines
dedicated to advancing the cause of economic and political liberty, good governance, secure and well-
defined property rights, market oriented reforms and consumer protection. TAF is non-profit international
development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. LMB is
the government agency at the forefront of land administration and management while DENR is the primary
government agency in-charge of the conservation, managing, development, and proper use the country’s
natural resources.
LITERATURE REVIEW
I. RESIDENTIAL LAND TITLING IN THE PHILIPPINES
A fundamental economic challenge confronting the Philippines is how to accelerate inclusive
growth by creating more and better jobs to reduce poverty. One of the binding constraints to this endeavor
is a constricted land market due, in part, to the lack of formal titles.
In the Philippines, two basic principles support land ownership, the Regalian Doctrine and right to
private ownership. The former states that all lands belong to the State and private ownership of land can
only be granted by the State. The latter, protected under the Constitution and under existing laws, gives
land owners absolute control and exclusive rights on the basis of legal, state-conferred ownership, subject
only to certain limitation on police power (like the rules on nuisance, environmental protection, and land
use) and eminent domain.
Lands of the public domain or lands owned by the State is classified into agricultural, forest or
timber, mineral lands, and national parks. These also include those that are intended for public use and for
some public purpose such as roads, bridges, schools, etc. There are also patrimonial properties that are not
intended for public use. On the other hand, there is the private domain which is the lands granted by State
for private ownership and is only limited to agricultural lands (i.e. subclassified to residential, commercial,
industrial, etc.).
One source of private land titles is the direct grant from alienable and disposable lands in favor of
qualified citizens. These land grants are classified into three: free, homestead, and sales patents. Free patent
is issued to longtime (30 years) actual occupants and cultivators of agricultural lands. It has recently
included occupants of public residential lands through Republic Act (RA) 10023 or the Residential Free
Patent Act enacted in 2010.
There are an estimated 24 million lot parcels in the Philippines under the alienable and disposable
lands and only half million are titled. Of the untitled parcels, eight million are residential lands and four
million are agricultural lands (DENR-LAMP, 2004). Since 2011, 50,000-60,000 residential titles are issued
per year (DENR, 2016) (see Figure 1).
Moreover, there are two major ways to apply for a residential land title. One is the judicial mode
where one acquires a land through acquisitive prescription1 which prove to be expensive on the part of the
landowners. One has to pay for the professional fee of the lawyer, the cost of land survey, and other court-
related costs (Chikiamco & Fabella, 2011). Coupled with at least more than a year to decades to complete,
the whole process can be taxing and tedious.
1 Acquisitive prescription is a mode of acquiring ownership by a possessor through the requisite lapse of time. In order to ripen into ownership,
possession must be in the concept of an owner, public, peaceful, and uninterrupted (Lubos vs. Galupo, 373 SCRA 618).
The other mode is through an administrative procedure where one applies for the patent. One can
also buy the land through bidding. For the former, as created by RA 10023, one can apply title for a land
as long as the applicant is a Filipino citizen who is an actual occupant of the land for at least 10 years, the
lot is in an area which is zoned as residential, the application is supported by 1) a map based on an actual
survey conducted by a licensed geodetic engineer and approved by the DENR, and 2) a technical description
of the land applied for together with 3) supporting affidavit of two (2) disinterested persons who are residing
in the barangay of the city or municipality where the land is.
II. TITLING PROCESS
There are five macro processes in public land titling particularly in the application of a Residential
Free Patent: 1) adjudication; 2) subdivision survey; 3) CENRO processing; 4) PENRO processing; and 5)
title registration and title issuance (Technology for Property Rights, 2017a).
In the Adjudication stage, which this study also refers to as the “pre-application” stage, is when a
lot occupant applies for a free patent. The status of the applied lot if it is alienable and disposable and still
untitled is verified. There are two ways how land adjudication is done. First is the systematic adjudication
(see Table 1) in which the government approaches the people. This method selects areas with many untitled
lands. Ideally, the process progresses one lot to another, one barangay to another, and one municipality to
another, aiming to register all untitled parcels in a locality (province). Before the DENR and LGU deputized
public land inspectors (DPLIs) can do this, they have to organize their own data, in the form of the
Consolidated Cadastral Map (CCM) and Rapid Land Tenure Appraisal (RLTA) report. The local Assessor
adds data from tax declarations to this RLTA profile so they can discern which lots have potential for titling.
The DPLI inspects these lots and interview the occupants.
The other is sporadic adjudication where the people approach the government (see Table 2). The
lot occupant approaches the DPLI, who asks the community level records officer to check if the lot applied
for can be titled. The DPLI interviews the applicant and conducts field inspection. He/she then helps the
applicant to understand the basis of his/her claim and identifies the documents that have to be submitted to
support the claim.
Several applicants may live on a single mother lot. When one applies for a portion of the lot, DENR
requires a separate technical description for each parcel and this is where subdivision surveys come in.
Surveyors or geodetic engineers (GE) have to get authorization to conduct surveys. After getting copies of
existing survey data from the DENR regional offices and once they have agreed with the lot occupants on
a subdivision scheme, they conduct the actual field survey. The surveyors or GEs are required to submit
supporting papers for approval. An approved survey plan is a basic requirement for titling.
Once the applicant has completed the requirements, the community level officer receives them and
assigns an application number. Several validation activities by the said officer are done such as double-
checking the availability of the lot, confirming the technical description, etc. After receiving the documents
from community level office, the provincial level officer signs the free patent and endorses it to the local
land registry. The free patent is scanned by a staff of the local land registry. Then, the original title is issued
and released to the applicant.
III. TECHNOLOGY-BASED REFORMS
MOBILE APPLICATIONS
Over the last decade, smartphones and mobile applications are developed to suit people’s
necessities. Thousands of mobile apps are designed for communication, entertainment, shopping, learning,
and even doing development work. The sector of land is no stranger to this technology.
Land-related agencies and organizations now use land administration platforms and mobile
applications to improve property rights at lower costs. One example is the USAID-MAST in some parts of
Africa such as Tanzania, Zambia, and Burkina Faso (USAID, 2016). This participatory initiative aims to
address social, logistical, and legal challenges of property rights formalization. They train citizens,
especially the youth, in mapping the boundaries of their land and gathering the demographic and tenure
information using the mobile app. The government officials will then use the information to issue formal
land rights documents. Engaging citizens in this activity enables government officials to focus on validating
and registering land claims.
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an app called “Forest Watcher” allows indigenous people, forest
managers, and law enforcement officials in remote areas to monitor deforestation and fires through real-
time satellite maps and data collected by Global Forest Watch, a U.S.-based charity that monitors changes
in forest cover. More importantly, local communities can delineate the boundaries of their land and report
encroachments and illegal use of resources. It does not need an internet connection as the app uses GPS to
display real time forest changes (Mendes, 2017).
Other apps available in the market are GeoODK Collect, an open source platform that is used to
collect and store georeferenced information. It can be used offline or online with mapping functionalities
(GeoODK, 2017). Another is SuperSurv, developed by Supergeo Technologies, Inc., a mobile app designed
with GIS and GPS to be used in collecting and surveying of spatial data. The app has a map display and
can capture point, line, and polygons efficiently. One can also view and edit data in offline mode (Supergeo,
2018).
UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS
The Unmanned Aerial System or UAS is a set of complementary technologies brought together to
achieve a specific task and there currently exists a range of different systems. UAS main components
include an aerial platform, a sensor payload, ground control station, communications data link and control.
Typical aerial platforms are in the form of fixed-wing or rotary craft. The payload is usually a small or
medium format optical digital camera or other remote sensing sensors. Data communication link allows
connection between the sensor and storage device. Ground control station provides real world positioning
for the images. Control deals with the UAS being remotely controlled or auto-piloted. Auto-pilot mode
usually depends on two navigation technologies: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and inertial
navigation systems (INS) or a combination of both.
UAS can be classified in terms of nano-micro-mini UAS or in terms of close-short-medium range.
Nano-micro-mini UAS classes are differentiated in terms of weights, payload sizes. This class include UAS
with model specific small portable computer ground controller such as the Trimble UX5 and the software
only ground controller such as SenseFly’s Swinglet CAM, eBee and Phantom Professional. Other
classification is related on the type of platform used such as fixed wing and rotor type.
Land survey is the measurement and lay-out of directions and lengths of lines to form the
boundaries of a real property (Anderson & Mikhail, 1998). One of its purpose includes providing technical
description of a land property as an input to ownership document such as a land title. Because of this, the
formalization of ownership through land titling depends on the accurate measurements of the metes and
bounds of a land. The standard methodology in land survey includes establishment of control points that
serve as the reference for position and direction of a parcel lot and measurement of parcel corners using an
optical instrument such as the total station or use of a (GNSS) receiver in Real Time Kinematic (RTK)
mode.
In recent years, advancements and the commercialization of UAS provided geodetic engineers and
other professionals dealing with spatial information an opportunity of using photogrammetry in different
survey activities with the least cost and larger area coverage over a short period of time. Currently, UAS’s
accepted use include orthophotomosaicking used for various monitoring activities and generation of digital
elevation models (DEM) for topographic map production. UAS with photogrammetric and remote sensing
capability has been recognized as mature enough to support the development of geo-information products
and services (Colomina & Molina, 2014).
In topographic mapping and volumetric computation, the use of UAS was determined to be more
cost effective, with no loss in accuracy, as compared to traditional survey methods for land parcel with area
not less than 10 acres (4.05 hectares) to 200 acres (80.94) hectares considering locations with little to no
vegetation (Fitzpatrick, 2016).
Manyoky et.al (2011) investigated the use of UAS in cadastral surveying for two study areas in
Switzerland. The scope of the study includes UAS data acquisition in comparison with conventional data
acquisition methods. Acquisition of UAS data is done by tracing boundary corners from processed ortho-
photo images that delineates the boundaries of parcels. The same corner points were obtained from the
ground using conventional surveying techniques. It was concluded that the two methodologies are found to
be comparable in terms of time expenditure, accuracy and completeness, however the limiting factor for
UAS obtained data is the image orientation due to low cost camera used, image quality and the definition
of the ground control points. Furthermore, the required level of accuracy for cadastral surveying was said
to be obtained, coupled with the advantage of UAS in having high flexibility and efficiency in capturing
the surface, having an output ortho-images, and elevation models.
Barnes & Volkmann (2015) provided pilot tests in Albania and concluded that UAS offers a new
approach for acquiring and producing high-resolution map. The tests provided results comparable to
traditional surveying techniques with positional errors between 10 to 14 centimeters. However, they
recommend the use of such technology over smaller areas and not for large areas such as counties or states.
In the Philippines, the allowable position of error for isolated survey, specifically for relocation or
verification survey shall not exceed + 10 centimeters. These are followed by geodetic engineers practicing
land surveying in the Philippines and are stipulated in DENR Administrative Order 2007-29 and its
implementing rules and regulation (DENR, 2007) provided in DENR Memorandum Circular 2010-13
(DENR, 2013).
FRAMEWORK
DEVELOPMENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Development entrepreneurship is a new way of approaching development work. It supports leaders
in using entrepreneurial principles and practices to introduce transformational reform. The goal is to find
technically sound and politically feasible reforms (see Figure 8) (Faustino, 2012).
A technically sound reform has three characteristics: 1) transformative; 2) can be institutionalized;
and 3) scalable. First, a proposed reform that is transformative means that it has the capability of changing
incentives and behavior of people, organizations, and institutions that enhances public good and produce
better development outcomes. Second, this reform can be incorporated into current structures such as formal
institutions and bureaucratic practices. The proposed reform, eventually, will be considered as the new
“status quo” ensuring that it is sustainable policy-wise. Lastly, the reform should be scalable which means
that it can stand by itself even with limited funding and can expand beyond its originally intended scope.
On the other hand, a politically feasible reform has the capacity of being accepted into current
political structures. In short, the reform is favored and accepted by the political environment.
Apart from the characteristics being sought and advocated by the model, entrepreneurial principles
and practices are observed in implementing reforms. Navigating through complex development challenges
and ‘wicked’ problems to discover elusive, technically sound, and politically possible pathways to reform
involves a great deal of trial and error and a relatively high tolerance for uncertainty.
The two technology-oriented proposed reforms are being undertaken and guided by the
development entrepreneurship model.
METHODOLOGY
This part of the paper shows how the two proposed reforms have unfolded since its inception in
late 2015 using the development entrepreneurship framework. Note that both reforms are still being
implemented.
MOBILE APPS
The mobile technology reform in this paper is called the Public Land Application Mobile (PLA
Mobile). It is a tablet-based app that helps DENR and local government officials to assist applicants in
complying requirements for residential and agricultural free patents. The app provides easy access to
standard forms that can be printed and filled up. The accomplished forms can be scanned and their digital
copies can be secured. PLA Mobile synchronizes with PLA Desktop - a desktop software where files are
kept in convenient folders for each applicant. Once all requirements are complete, a formal application for
title is filed in the DENR community level office.
PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop (see Figure 2) were designed to be used in: 1) accepting, managing,
and monitoring of public land title applications; 2) geotagging photos (see Figure 6); and 3) printing of
applications. An iterative software development methodology was followed, using rapid prototyping.
This included three general steps, 1) requirements elicitation, 2) rapid prototyping, and c) refinements.
A. First Iteration
In the first iteration, the Foundation for Economic Freedom, the Land Management Bureau and
Rush Hour Creative Solutions (a local software development house, selected by the Foundation as partners
in this project) consulted with Deputized Public Land Inspectors (DPLIs) from DENR Region VII and the
Municipality of Corodva to elicit their requirements, between January 2016 and August 2016. Through
these consultations Rush Hour elicited functional and non-functional requirements. As a result of these
consultations it was decided that a tablet-based App would be developed (PLA Mobile), and a desktop-
based facility for synchronising data (PLA Desktop).
LMB provided Rush Hour with the database structure employed in LMB’s own information
systems, the PLA Land Administration and Management System (LAMS) so that PLA Mobile’s data would
be compatible with their legacy databases. By October 2016, Rush Hour had developed the first working
version of PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop.
The project team conducted two rounds of field tests and trainings of the PLA Apps to determine
its and utility for land inspectors in field adjudication. The PLA Apps were used in tested in the adjudication
work in the municipalities for Cordova and Carmen in the Cebu province.
In November 2016, the first round of training was conducted. Ten (10) DPLIs from the DENR
Region VII office, community level land office in Cebu City, provincial level land office in Cebu, and
Cordova, Cebu participated. They were taught to: 1) install the PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop applications,
ES File Explorer File Manager and WPS Office ; 2) create user profiles; 3) input sample data into the Tablet;
4) and transfer these data to PLA Desktop.
For the field activity of the first round of training, the participating land inspectors were grouped
into four pairs. Each pair was given one tablet with PLA Mobile. The teams interviewed actual free patent
applicants in six lots in Brgy. Buagsong, and three lots in Brgy. Cogon, both in Cordova, Cebu.
Team members took turns in using PLA Mobile. While one member used the PLA Mobile, the
other member would take notes with pen and paper. Then they would switch tools on the next applicant,
and so on. All land inspectors learned to use PLA Mobile in the field. Afterwards, they went back to their
training venue and imported the data to the PLA Desktop.
After these activities the DPLIs reviewed their experience with PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop and
gave comments and suggestions.
PLA Mobile:
1. The address field needs to be broken down to separate data fields for Region, Province,
City/Municipality, and Barangay. Ideally, there would be context-sensitive drop-down menus
for each of these fields;
2. It is necessary to add CONTACT NUMBER and EMAIL ADDRESS fields in the PLA Mobile
application form, even if these will not be printed on any supporting document (while these are
not required by the PLA LAMS, they would make it easier for DPLIs to contact the applicant).
3. It is also necessary to add DATE of INSPECTION and DATE of POSTING (for barangay
posting) in the Lot Information section, for reference by both DPLI and applicant;
4. Change GENDER to SEX; and
5. There is a need to add separate data-entry screens for each of the common supporting documents.
Participants also floated other ideas for further improvements such as: 1) use a stylus pen for the
e-signature; 2) use a wireless keyboard (third-party hardware) to speed up data entry; 3) bold fonts and
darker screens were requested to improve visibility and readability under particularly in bright conditions;
and 4) add a photo of the lot claimant inside his/her house to confirm that the claimant lives on the
property.
For the PLA Desktop, the participants noted misplaced information the printed documents. For
example, the gender would appear next to “Date of Birth”, and the birth date appeared next to “Age.”
At the end of the first field testing activity, tablets with PLA Mobile were left with DENR and
LGU DPLIs. They were encouraged to explore the use of PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop in their work. It
was also agreed that Rush Hour would be given time to make the necessary revisions to PLA Mobile, and
to field-test the revised Apps that Rush Hour would produce.
B. Second Iteration
Another round of testing was made to address the DPLIs comments and suggestions from the first
iteration. In the second round of training conducted on March 2017, the participants were the same with a
new participant from the provincial level land office of Bohol province.
New equipment and tablet accessories were added. This includes tablets, a portable printer, stylus
pens, and bluetooth keyboards.
Over the next six (6) weeks, Rush Hour modified PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop. The key
improvements are the following:
1. Addition of new data fields which had been requested by the DPLIs (e.g., Inspection Date,
Barangay Posting Date, Birthplace, Contact Number, email address, Remarks);
2. Additional Document Builders to generate more supporting documents, including those for
Agricultural Free Patents;
3. A new App, WPS Office, which is used to save the forms in a Word document (.doc) or other
file types that can be printed;
4. Improved usability under daytime light environment, through contrasting colors;
5. Various bug fixes.
For the PLA Desktop, Rush Hour added new document builder forms for Agricultural Free Patent.
All devices were used in the field except for the printer which had connectivity issues. The printer
was eventually connected to PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop, back in the training venue. Participants had to
learn the best way to connect the tablets to the printer using Bluetooth. The users did not have any problems
importing data to the printer.
For the stylus pen, some DPLIs used them for the e-signatures. Others also used the keyboard
attached to the case while others opted to use the tablet directly because they got used to it.
An open forum was held after the field activity to discuss experiences and issues in using the Apps.
One of the main issues raised was the cost of the portable printer used which is at Php 22,000 (US $440).
DPLIs said that they cannot afford the suggested unit. There are other small printers which cost around PhP
4,000 (US $80).
As for the geo-tagging of photos, the DPLI had to stay put for a while before taking the photo, to
get a reasonably accurate reading. There were some dead spots, so DPLIs had to move to another location
to get location data. Furthermore, DENR DPLIs revealed they have downloaded another App that measures
the accuracy of GPS readings. This tells them when there’s a good enough signal to take a geotagged photo.
As for the PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop, some fields relevant to the Agricultural Free Patent
appear on the Residential Free Patent screens. These files are also in the LAMS database. The participants
agreed these fields should grayed out and made unclickable on the next update of PLA Mobile.
After the field test, additional functionalities were suggested and could be explored to increase the
efficiency and accuracy of PLA Mobile and these are:
a. to be able to capture and use digital signatures and biometrics;
b. to print directly from the Tablet (without going through a laptop);
c. to export data from PLA Desktop to PLA Mobile so that prior to field work, the DPLIs already
have initial data;
d. to separate the data fields of the residential and agricultural applications;
e. to add a “Documents Builder” feature in the PLA Mobile so that the data in the applications
forms can be easily edited without the need of importing them to the PLA Desktop;
f. to export the gathered data into an Excel sheet; and
g. to attach an external GPS to improve location accuracy of the geo-tagged photos.
Preliminary Rollout Initiatives
The tablets were left with the DPLIs for them to use in their adjudication. The DPLIs of Cordova,
Cebu preferred to use the PLA Mobile wherein they go house-to house. In Cordova, Cebu, the Apps were
able to gather 162 applications since November 2016. In average, Cordova receives 116 title applications
in a year. With the introduction of the PLA Apps, the land inspectors were able to gather 172 title
applications in seven (7) months.
Those in Carmen, Cebu preferred to use the PLA Desktop by gathering all applicants in one place
and accepted their applications. Some preliminary data were gathered. In May 2017, the DPLIs were able
to gather 51 complete applications; 36 of which were from the invited applicants and 15 were by walk-in
clients, all in one day. These applications were forwarded to the DENR CENRO Satellite Office in Carmen
on the same day. In July 2017, 47 applications were received by the DPLIs but not yet forwarded to the
CENRO.
The team also met with the DENR Provincial staff of Bohol. Ms. Racho, who was part of the
previous training on the use of the PLA mobile, informed the team that the province of Bohol will be
allocating PhP 3,500,000.00 in its land titling activities. Part of the budget, though small, is the procurement
of 20 tablets in which the PLA Mobile software will be installed and used by the DPLIs. Apart from this
development, Bohol province is planning to conduct a training on the use of the Apps among the municipal
assessors of the various municipalities in September 2017.
In our earlier consultation meetings with LMB, Assistant Director Henry Pacis, expressed interest
in having the app use in Taguig City. Under Proclamation No. 2476 as Amended by Proclamation No. 172,
a certain portion of Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation, composed of eight barangays, is declared open for
disposition to actual occupants/residents and LMB is in-charge of the applications. The application is called
the Insular Government Property Sales Application (IGPSA) that is different from Residential and
Agricultural Free Patent Applications. 12
On July 14, the team trained the DPLIs in-charge of Taguig City. While the basic requirements are
the same, there are still quite a few data fields in the application and new templates that are not found in the
Apps. While the potential to use the PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop for managing other kinds of title
applications such as Homestead, Miscellaneous Lease, Foreshore Lease, etc. is there, the team, decided to
stick with using the apps for Residential and Agricultural Free Patent applications - at least for now.
C. Third Iteration
The PLA Mobile and PLA Desktop were revised in December 2017 to address some of the previous
concerns. The revisions are:
1. Separate the residential free patent and agricultural free patent fields. If one chooses residential
free patent, one should not be given data fields that only applies to agricultural free patent;
2. Enable users to attach documents (PDF, Word, etc.);
3. Enable users to specify additional documents to the documents checklist; and
4. Have the applications exportable to Excel.
The third version is up for rollout. However, while the reform is technically sound and accepted by
the partner LGUs and regional DENR offices of Cebu and Bohol, it still needs other reforms for it to be
institutionalized. Other reforms could increase the number of completed applications that are received by
the CENROs and these are:
1. Issue a policy that would support the PLA Apps and enabling it to link up with the existing PLA
LAMS.
Also, a policy amending the DENR Records Management Manual to require DPLIs to record and
report on the status of “pre-applications” (applications with incomplete supporting documents).
This will provide baseline data for monitoring by DENR managers.
2. Increase the DPLIs and applicants’ knowledge about required supporting documents. Many new
DPLIs come from the Forestry Sector and are not very well-versed in adjudication. DPLIs may
tend to take extra caution and require more supporting documents than necessary. Supplemental
education about what supporting documents are needed in which conditions would be helpful to
these DPLIs and to applicants.
As of writing, this reform is still on third iteration and the team is trying to get a policy out to further
support its wider rollout and implementation. Our current DENR regional partners prefer to have a national
policy allowing for the use of the PLA Apps in their adjudication work.
UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS
A. Pilot Test in Cordova, Cebu
Since survey accuracy is of paramount importance, the team conducted a pilot test in Cordova,
Cebu in March 2016. Fortunately, the team has the support of LMB, DENR Region VII, province of Cebu,
and the local government of Cordova. The team partnered with Walter Volkmann and Oliver Volkmann of
Micro Aerial Projects L.L.C. (MAP), a provider of innovative geospatial solutions such as
geodetic, cadastral, topographic, and photogrammetric surveying, geographic information systems
(GIS), UAS operations, and Skyeye, Inc. (Skyeye), local drone service provider in the Philippines.
The team compared the coordinate measurements using a Total Station (operated by a GE of DENR
Region VII) against coordinate measurements using small UAS acquired aerial images and the Structure
from Motion (SfM) mapping technique shows an average horizontal difference of 0.052 meters or 5.2 cm
and falls within the 10cm standard accuracy.
The team believes that if UAS technology is proven to be sufficiently accurate, LMB may issue a
policy allowing and encouraging the use of UAS for surveying as an additional technique to add to the
traditional toolsets of TS and RTK GNSS. This may pave the way for the geodetic engineering community
public as well as private, to more efficiently address the technical challenges concerning land titling in the
Philippines.
B. Presentations
After the success of the pilot test, the team, along with LMB, made presentations on the UAS or
drone reform in front of partners and stakeholders in different conventions and conferences. However, the
most notable is the team’s presentation to the National Convention of the Geodetic Engineers of the
Philippines (GEP) in Bohol in November 2016. The reform was met with both positivity and doubts.
Positivity in terms of the ability of the technology to provide additional information such as high resolution
maps that can be generated in a shorter period of time compared to using traditional surveying methods.
Doubts include the accuracy of the drone-generated photos and if the technology can be really used
in land surveying. Also, the issue on drone prices may discourage a geodetic engineer to get one and use it.
Nevertheless, the team was advised by one of the GEP National Board Member, Prof. Epifanio
Lopez, to conduct a rigorous academic study to prove the accuracy of drones in land surveying. This is to
have drones fly over various topography to determine whether the data gathered can meet current accuracy
standards and if what circumstances require the use of drones.
C. Demonstration of the Test Bed
The pilot test in March 2016 convinced the team the need for a test bed before conducting actual
surveying and mapping activities using drones. The team is confident that accuracy standards required will
be achieved at 95% confidence level once a suitable test bed has been established and used to formally
document mapping accuracies.
In March 2017, the team got Walter Volkmann of MAP as the resource person in
demonstrating Structure for Motion, a low-cost, user-friendly and advanced photogrammetric technique for
obtaining high-resolution datasets at a range of scales. He introduced the VMAP system in a test flight at
Bacoor, Cavite, assisted by Skyflix, Inc., to show that its output meets the Philippines’ standard surveying
accuracy. The demonstration was participated by a GEs from LMB, the regional offices DENR, the
National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), educators and students from the
University of the Philippines (UP), and drone practitioners.
D. Academic Research
Following the presentation of the team to the National Board of GEP, the team took the challenge
of conducting an academic research. The team sought for the assistance of the Geodetic Engineering
Department of the University of the Philippines (UP-DGE) and Prof. Epifanio Lopez himself.
An academic research was conducted in March 2017 to provide a scientific basis on the
applicability or non-applicability of UAS for land surveying taking due consideration to obtaining
accuracies that conform to the Manual for Land Surveys. Three sites were chosen in Norzagaray, Bulacan,
50km north of Manila. These are Brgy. Tigbe, Brgy. Poblacion, and Brgy. FVR (see Figure 4). The drone
used was Trimble UX5 (see Figure 5) which covered approximately 18 hectares, 26 hectares and 15
hectares, respectively The activities were participated by the same GEs from LMB and DENR regional
offices during the test bed demonstration.
The positional survey accuracies of the coordinates of the GCPs in the ground survey and
orthophoto are within the 10cm requirement. The outputs from Brgy. Tigbe study area provided the best
results in terms of accuracy in position, distance, direction and area. Outputs from Brgy. Poblacion also
showed a relatively positive result. However, the output from Brgy. FVR is observed to be the least
successful. Based on this, one cannot readily say that topography is a significant factor that affect accuracy
since the study area in Brgy. Tigbe which was observed to be sloping compared to the study area in Brgy.
Poblacion provided better result.
With these results, one can say that the use of UAS can be an alternative tool to generate
orthomosaic images that when processed correctly can provide parcel information comparable to
information obtained ground survey. It has the advantage of covering a relatively large area compared to
ground survey, can be done with minimum GCP which is another time-consuming survey activity given
that the UAS has either a PPK or RTK GNSS ready platform.
However, similar to other technologies, it also has several challenges and limitations. Weather
condition such as wind velocity and battery lifespan must be considered in the planning and implementation
of a UAS data acquisition. Wind velocity may sometimes affect the clarity of the output images. Battery
lifespan is an important factor in planning the flight area coverage. In terms of data processing, software,
hardware and peopleware must be considered. In terms of data extraction, proper and accurate delineation
of target points depend on its clarity and visibility on the processed orthomosaic.
E. Policy
The initiative to develop and issue a policy that would support the use of drones in land surveying
started right after the first drone flight in March 2016. The first formal drone policy review meeting was on
June 2016. This was followed by a series of policy review committee (PRC) meetings with LMB until
December 2017. PRC is the committee in LMB in-charge of policy deliberations, approval, and issuance.
The meetings include the following discussions such as what kind of policy to issue and which government
agency could issue it the quickest to hasten its implementation in national and regional levels. Also, the
discussions include what should the policy include such as general provisions, technical notes, etc.
The team, along with LMB, resolved to issue two policies—a memorandum circular and a technical
bulletin issued by LMB. This route was chosen because the policies need not go to DENR central office
review and approval and hence hastening the policy issuance. A total of five (5) PRC meetings were held
before the policy is approved spanning from June 2016-December 2017. Apart from the PRC meetings,
other internal meetings and interventions were made by team. For the policy development, the team sought
the assistance of Prof. Epifanio Lopez and Engr. Louie Balicanta of the UP GDE.
Along with the development of the policy is the team’s donation of drones to the LMB in January
2017 to encourage its use in their surveying and mapping activities. The drones had a test flight in July
2017 in Magalang, Pampanga which is at the north of Manila.
After a series of meetings and consultations, two drone policies were issued on December 27, 2017.
These are the LMB Memorandum Circular (LMC) No. 2017-003 and LMB Technical Bulletin No. 2 series
of 2017. The former recognizes UAS as one of the instruments that may be used in the conduct of land
survey. While the latter contains standards and guidelines needed in the implementation of the LMC. The
policies took effect last January 26, 2018.
F. Policy Application
In December 2017, anticipating the policy approval, the team went to Brgy. Sta. Fe, Esperanza,
Agusan del Sur, a province in the Southern part of the Philippines of the Mindanao island to to demonstrate
the use of drones for surveying according to the procedure in the Technical Bulletin - and specifically for
subdivision surveying leading to issuance of about 200 Residential Free Patents.
Our partners here are DENR Region XIII, particularly the Surveys and Mapping Division and the
Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur, and UP DGE.
The team briefed the GEs of provincial government of Agusan del Sur and DENR XIII on the
preparations needed before the actual flights. Coordination with the LGU and constituents of Brgy. Sta, Fe
was done in order to solicit their support and participation in this activity.
The team then flew to Agusan del Sur and conducted a week of reconnaissance, drone flights, and
validation. The drones used were a quadcaptor—DJI Phantom 4 Advanced--and a fixed-wing—EasyMap
(see Figure 7). Of both drones, the DJI Phantom 4 Advance produced better results in terms of image quality
and accuracy.
The work in this area is not yet done as political boundaries and monuments need to be determined.
Once identified, the processing of drone images can resume and an orthophoto map can be generated. With
this map, the residents will be able to determine their boundaries with the assistance of the GE from the
provincial government.
It is important to note that when one has to have his/her land survey, a private GE needs to be hired.
But in the case of the province of Agusan del Sur, a GE was hired by the provincial government to conduct
free survey among residential free patent applicants. This is a noteworthy governance innovation on the
part of the provincial government.
DEVELOPMENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP MODEL at WORK
The paper demonstrated the implementation of two technology reforms using the Development
Entrepreneurship approach. For the mobile app, the reform is technically sound but the political
environment needs to be further studied and maneuvered by the team. Rolling out the mobile apps requires
government support by way of policy so as to institutionalize the technology. As for the UAS or drone
reform, the team is successful in proving that drones can be as accurate as other surveying equipment and
in getting policies out to support its use in land surveying.
The goals of the mobile technology reforms are: 1) to be used nationwide; and 2) to be linked with
the existing DENR LAMS that leads the computerization of land records - scanning and encoding of maps,
survey plans and public land applications. In addition to technology intervention, other reforms could
increase the number of completed applications that are received by the community levels. The mobile
technology reform is still in the beginning stages and needs time and full support from the government in
order to fully measure its impact.
Drone technology, in addition to traditional survey instruments, can be used to survey and map
larger areas in a shorter period. More importantly, it can provide graphical presentation and more accurate
information on land parcels through high resolution aerial photos while still meeting the government’s
accuracy standards. The use of drones upgrades the conduct of land surveying and mapping in the
Philippines especially with the recent approval and issuance of LMB of two policies supporting the use of
drone technology in the conduct of land survey.
With the work the reform is in now, one can say that drones will have a big role in improving the
conduct of land survey in the Philippines. Although the team is yet to answer whether using drone in land
surveying is cost-effective and saves more time. Given the pace of improving drone technology,
availability, and increasing number of uses, prices are constantly going down. As for the time element, it
would normally take a week or two to finish a drone flight from data acquisition to data processing. The
decision to use drones has to weigh cost and benefits for any given task.
In both reforms, the role of community participation or the title applicants’ involvement is highly
significant (see Figure 3). Without their active participation, the reforms would not be possible. The
community needs to be informed on what is going to happen, what can be expected, and what they will get
from the activity. Once this is clear to them, one can guarantee the community’s cooperation which is
instrumental in completing the title application process through the mobile apps and land survey using
drones.
Finally, this study as well as the team continue its work by doing following:
Mobile App
1. Provide technical assistance to the deliberation and issuance of a policy that would support and
encourage the use the mobile apps in land adjudication;
2. Capacitate the DPLIs in several regions and provinces in the use of the mobile apps; and
3. Link the mobile app to the existing LAMS of DENR and make it available online
UAS or Drones
1. Finish the work started in Agusan del Sur to serve the needs of 200 title applicants;
2. Determine the cost-effectiveness and time-efficiency of using drones compared to traditional
surveying methods; and
3. Develop a training module or guide to be used by the GE community, both public and private,
as well as the academe in conducting land survey. The guide can also be added for the
continuing education of geodetic engineers.
With the Development Entrepreneurship approach being used in pushing the two technology-based
reforms, it can be said that while the reforms are still in the beginning stages, its accomplishments are
noteworthy. Determining the technical soundness of a reform is as important as its political feasibility.
Sometimes, managing the interests of stakeholders is harder in introducing a reform and its sustainability
is the hardest. While these reforms are initially and primarily geared towards increasing the issuance of
titles, it had other positive effects in land governance. With data and maps, relevant government agencies
can use these data in land use planning, tax mapping, disaster risk reduction, etc.
If both technology-based reforms receive support from relevant stakeholders especially from the
government, both reforms will be able to stand on its own even with limited funding. The team can always
provide technical expertise but rolling out such reforms rests on the national and local governments’
shoulders. These reforms could provide opportunities to improve data collection, surveying, and mapping
capacities at national, regional and local levels.
REFERENCES
Anderson, J., & Mikhail, E. (1998). Surveying Theory and Practice Seventh Edition. New York:
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Barnes, G., & Volkmann, W. (2015). High-Resolution Mapping with Unmanned. Surveying and Land
Information Science, 74(1), 5-13.
Chikiamco, C., & Fabella, R. V. (2011). Property Rights Reform in the Philippines The Residential Free
Patent Act. In Build on Dream Grounded in Reality (pp. 129-150). Makati City: The Asia
Foundation.
Colomina, I., & Molina, P. (2014). Unmanned Aerial Systems for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing:
A Review. ISPRS (92), 79-97.
DENR (2007). DAO 2007-29: Revised Regulations on Land Surveys. Quezon City, Philippines: DENR.
DENR (2013). DMC 2010-13: ADOPTION OF THE MANUAL ON LAND SURVEY. Quezon City:
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
DENR (2016). Compendium of ENR Statistics 2016. Quezon City: DENR. Retrieved from
http://www.denr.gov.ph/e-library/compendium-enr-statistic-2016.html
DENR-LAMP (2004). Land tenure status study. Quezon City: LAMP.
Faustino, J. (2012). Development Entrepreneurship A Model for Transformative and Institutional
Change. Makati City: The Asia Foundation.
Fernandez, J. R. (1966). Comments on the Practice of Property Delimitation Survey in the Philippines.
Philippine Journal of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, 75-80.
Fitzpatrick, B. (2016). Unmanned Aerial Systems for Surveying and Mapping: Cost Comparison of UAS
Versus Traditional Methods of Data Acquisition,. Retrieved May 2017, 2017, from Web
GeoODK (2017). Get Started. Retrieved from GeoODK: http://geoodk.com/getting_started.html
Mendes, K. (2017). Mobile app uses real-time satellite data to strengthen forest and land rights.
Retrieved from Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-forests-app/mobile-app-
uses-real-time-satellite-data-to-strengthen-forest-and-land-rights-idUSKCN1C12FN
Supergeo (2018). Supergeo. Retrieved from SuperSurv: http://www.supergeotek.com/index.php/
products_supersurv/#1513932477339-0e296bb5-65e4
Technology for Property Rights. (2017a). Property Rights in the Philippines: A Time and Cost Study of
Land Titling. Quezon City: Foundation for Economic Freedom.
Technology for Property Rights. (2017b). Property Rights in the Philippines: Introducing Unmanned
Aerial Systems for Land Survey. Quezon City: Foundation for Economic Freedom.
USAID. (2016). Evaluation, Research, and Communication (ERC) Mobile Application to Secure Tenure.
Washington, DC: USAID.
TABLES
Table 1. Timeline for residential free patent issuance, systematic2
STAGE NUMBER OF PROCESSING
DAYS NOTES
Systematic Adjudication 320 130 days for preparation of lot
information
60 days for RLTA
10 days for Barangay Assembly
60 days for actual adjudication
60 days for compliance with
requirements
Subdivision Survey 60 Can be longer as there are more
lots to be surveyed
CENRO Processing 120 Batch processing
PENRO Processing 5 Mostly re-validation and
ministerial
ROD Registration and Title
Issuance
60 Can be longer
Source: Technology for Property Rights. (2017a)
Table 2. Timeline for residential free patent issuance, sporadic
STAGE NUMBER OF PROCESSING
DAYS NOTES
Sporadic Adjudication 70 10 days for investigation
60 days for compliance with
requirements
Subdivision Survey 60 Includes applying for survey
authority, securing the survey
data, actual survey, approval.
Assumes that the clients is able
to pay for the survey right away.
2 Systematic Adjudication, Surveying, and CENRO Processing can take longer with Systematic Adjudication because it involves a number of
applications in a batch.
CENRO Processing 120 Single application processing can
be fast (compared to batch
processing for Systematic
Adjudication) and can be
finished in 40 days if application
requirements are complete
PENRO Processing 5
ROD Registration and Title
Issuance
60 Can take up to 2 months
Source: Technology for Property Rights. (2017a)
Table 3. Official and unofficial expenses for rf patent
Stage Item Cost (USD) Percent (%)
Adjudication Application fee and
documentary stamp 5 1.53
“Package Deal” 40 12.23
Fees for supporting
documents 40 12.23
Cadastral cost 1 0.31
Subdivision Survey 200 61.16
CENRO Processing
PENRO Processing
ROD Registration and
Title Issuance
Registration Fee 1 0.31
ICT Fee 39 11.93
Documentary Stamp 1 0.31
TOTAL $327 100.00%
Source: Technology for Property Rights. (2017a)
FIGURES
Figure 1. Residential free patent issuance (2011-2016)
Source: DENR-LAMP, 2004
Figure 2. PLA Desktop and PLA Mobile
4057 2448 2571 3125 3282 3977 46096647
58486 59717
49932
6090258064
53242
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
No
. o
f ti
tles
iss
ued
Year
Figure 3. Community Involvement
Figure 4. Brgy. Poblacion, Brgy. Tigbe, and Brgy. FVR (left to right)
Figure 5. Launching of Trimble UX5
Figure 6. Geotagged photos of the land inspector and applicant documents, and the house and lots
Figure 7. Sample drone photos generated by DJI Phantom 4 Advanced (left) and EasyMap (right)
Figure 8. Development Entrepreneurship Framework
