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SEC. 58. Any tract of land of the public domain which, being neither timber nor mineral land, is intended to be used for residential purposes or for commercial, industrial, or other productive purposes other than agricultural, and is open to disposition or concession, shall be disposed of under the provisions of this chapter and not otherwise.
SEC. 59. The lands disposable under this title shall be classified as follows: (a) Lands reclaimed by the Government by dredging, filing, or other means; (b) Foreshore; (c) Marshy lands or lands covered with water bordering upon the shores or banks of navigable lakes or rivers; (d) Lands not included in any of the foregoing classes.
SEC. 60. Any tract of land comprised under this title may be leased or sold, as the case may be, to any person, corporation, or association authorized to purchase or lease public lands for agricultural purposes. The area of the land so leased or sold shall be such as shall, in the judgment of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, be reasonably necessary for the purposes for which such sale or lease is requested, and shall in no case exceed one hundred and forty-four hectares: Provided, however, That this limitation shall not apply to grants, donations, transfers made to a province, municipality or branch or subdivision of the Government for the purposes deemed by said entities conducive to the public interest; but the land so granted donated, or transferred to a province, municipality, or branch or subdivision of the Government shall not be alienated, encumbered, or otherwise disposed of in a manner affecting its title, except when authorized by Congress: Provided, further, That any person, corporation, association or partnership disqualified from purchasing public land for agricultural purposes under the provisions of this Act, may lease land included under this title suitable for industrial or residential purposes, but the lease granted shall only-be valid while such land is used for the purposes referred to.
SEC. 61. The lands comprised in classes (a), (b), and (c) of section fifty-nine shall be disposed of to private parties by lease only and not otherwise, as soon as the President, upon recommendation by the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce shall declare that the same are not necessary for the public service and are open to disposition under this chapter. The lands included in class (d) may be disposed of by sale or lease under the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 62. The lands reclaimed by the Government by dredging, filling or otherwise shall be surveyed and may, with the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, be divided by the Director of Lands into lots and blocks, with the necessary streets and alley-ways between them, and said Director shall give notice to the public by publication in the Official Gazette or by other means, that the lots or blocks not needed for public purposes shall be leased for commercial or industrial or other similar purposes.
SEC. 63. Whenever it is decided that lands covered by this chapter are not needed for public purposes, the Director of Lands shall ask the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce for authority to dispose of the same. Upon receipt of such authority, the Director of Lands shall give notice by public advertisement in the same manner as in the case of leases or sales of agricultural public land, that the Government will lease or sell, as the case may be, the lots or blocks specified in the advertisement, for the purpose stated in the notice and subject to the conditions specified in this chapter.
SEC. 64. The leases executed under this chapter by the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce shall, among other conditions, contain the following: (a) The rental shall not be less than three per centum of the appraised or reappraised value of the land plus one per centum of the appraised or reappraised value of the improvements, except for lands reclaimed by the Government which shall not be less than four per centum of the appraised or reappraised value of the land plus two per centum of the appraised or reappraised value of the improvements thereon: Provided, That twenty-five per centum of the total annual rental on all lands reclaimed prior to the approval of this Act and one per centum of the appraised or reappraised value of improvements shall accrue to the construction and improvement portion of the Portworks Fund: And provided, further, That the annual rental on lands reclaimed using the Portworks Fund together with the fee due on account of the improvement thereon after the effectivity of this Act shall all accrue to the construction and improvement portion of the Portworks Fund. (b) The land rented and the improvements thereon shall be reappraised every ten years if the term of the lease is in excess of that period. (c) The term of the lease shall be as prescribed by section thirty-eight of this Act. (d) The lessee shall construct permanent improvements appropriate for the purpose for which the lease is granted, shall commence the construction thereof within six months from the date of the award of the right to lease the land, and shall complete the said construction within eighteen months from said date. (e) At the expiration of the lease or of any extension of the same, all improvements made by the lessee, his heirs, executors, administrators, successors, or assigns shall become the property of the Government. (f) The regulation of all rates and fees charged to the public; and the annual submission to the Government for approval of all tariffs of such rates and fees. (g) The continuance of the easements of the coast police and other easements reserved by existing law or by any laws hereafter enacted. (h) Subjection to all easements and other rights acquired by the owners of lands bordering upon the foreshore or marshy land. The violation of one or any of the conditions specified in the contract shall give rise to the rescission of said contract. The Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce may, however, subject to such conditions as he may prescribe, waive the rescission arising from a violation of the conditions of subsection (d), or extend the time within which the construction of the improvements shall be commenced and completed.
SEC. 65. The sale of the lands comprised in classes (c) and (d) of section fifty-nine shall, among others, comprise the following conditions: (a) The purchaser shall make improvements of a permanent character appropriate for the purpose for which the land is purchased, shall commence work thereon within six months from the receipt of the order of award, and shall complete the construction of said improvements within eighteen months from the date of such award; otherwise the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources may rescind the contract. (b) The purchase price shall be paid in cash or in equal annual installments, not to exceed ten. The contract of sale may contain other conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 66. The kind of improvements to be made by the lessee or the purchaser, and the plans thereof, shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, in case they are constructions or improvements which if by the Government, would properly have to be executed under the supervision of the Bureau of Public Works.
SEC. 67. The lease or sale shall be made through oral bidding; and adjudication shall be made to the highest bidder. However, where an applicant has made improvements on the land by virtue of a permit issued to him by competent authority, the sale or lease shall be made by sealed bidding as prescribed in section twenty-six of this Act, the provisions of which shall be applied wherever applicable. If all or part of the lots remain unleased or unsold, the Director of Lands shall from time to time announce in the Official Gazette or in any other newspapers of general circulation, the lease or sale of those lots, if necessary
SEC. 68. The Secretary of Agricultural and Commerce may grant to qualified persons temporary permission, upon payment of a reasonable charge, for the use of any portion of the lands covered by this chapter for any lawful private purpose, subject to revocation at any time when, in his judgment, the public interest shall require it.
Provisions on this page are reproduced verbatim from official open data. See the attribution line.
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).