Act Providing For Sale Of Agricultural Public Lands And Authorizing District Land Officers In Every Province Of The Bureau Of Lands To Sign Patents Or Certificates Covering Lands Not Exceeding Five Hectares, Further Amending For The Purpose Commonwealth Act Numbered One Hundred Forty-One.

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 6516

Provisions on Sale of Agricultural Public Lands:
- Public agricultural lands not within 10 km from city boundaries or 5 km from municipal halls may be sold to actual occupants who:
    - Do not own any land or have total landholdings not exceeding 5 hectares (Sec. 1)
    - Have resided on the land for at least 2 years prior to application (Sec. 1)
- Sealed bids must be submitted with 10% deposit of bid amount (Sec. 1)
- Bid amount must not be less than appraised sale value of the land (Sec. 1)
- Notices of applications must be posted for 30 days in 3 conspicuous places, including municipal building and barangay council (Sec. 1)

Bidding and Award Process:
- Land awarded to highest bidder (Sec. 2)
- If multiple equal highest bids, applicant's bid is accepted (Sec. 2)
- If applicant's bid is not the highest, land goes to public auction (Sec. 2)
- Applicant can raise bid to match highest bidder and be awarded the land (Sec. 2)
- 10% deposit required for bids at public auction (Sec. 2)
- For lands not exceeding 24 hectares, Director of Lands can delegate bidding process to district land officer (Sec. 2)

Restrictions on Conveyance or Encumbrance:
- Purchaser cannot convey, encumber or dispose of the land within 10 years from cultivation or grant, except to the government (Sec. 3)
- Violation renders acquisition null and void, land reverts to the State, and payments are forfeited (Sec. 3)

Issuance of Land Patents or Certificates:
- Prepared by Bureau of Lands and issued under the President's signature (Sec. 4)
- President can delegate signing authority for lands:
    - Not exceeding 144 hectares to Secretary or Undersecretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Sec. 4)
    - Exceeding 144 hectares to Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Sec. 4)
- District land officers can sign patents or certificates for lands not exceeding 5 hectares (Sec. 4)
- Applicants cannot split area among relatives within 6th degree, except married children actually occupying the land (Sec. 4)
- Copies of issued patents must be furnished to Bureau of Lands (Sec. 4)
- District land officers cannot issue patents unless survey is approved by Director of Lands (Sec. 4)
- Director of Lands must act on submitted surveys within 90 days (Sec. 4)

Other Provisions:
- Director of Lands must assign land examiners and employees to different provinces within 6 months, but not in their own province (Sec. 5)
- District land officers violating the Act are subject to a fine of 1,000 pesos or 4 years imprisonment, or both (Sec. 6)