Manila: The city government has successfully obtained original certificates of title (OCTs) for eight additional public properties, furthering its initiative to safeguard lands designated for public use.

According to Philippines News Agency, the local government has acquired the OCTs for properties across several barangays in the city. This effort is part of a larger push to have these properties formally titled by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as stated by Ma. Guadalupe Della, officer in charge of the General Services Office, which oversees the city's properties.

The city government initiated an inventory of its properties to identify areas suitable for public use, addressing Baguio's limited land resources as a barrier to enhancing public services. The newly titled properties encompass a total of 2,097 square meters. These include San Vicente Barangay Hall and Day Care Center (685 square meters), various waiting sheds, plazas, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office site (1,000 square meters), among others.

San Vicente is situated less than four kilometers from the city's central business district, where property prices are approximately PHP20,000 to PHP30,000 per square meter. In contrast, DPS Barangay, located along Upper Session Road, sees property values ranging from PHP40,000 to PHP60,000 per square meter.

In January, the city government also secured titles for five government properties, including sites in Fairview Barangay and City Camp Central. About a decade ago, they obtained the title for the property where City Hall is located.

Della emphasized that securing titles for city-owned properties remains a top priority for the local government to ensure ownership and avoid potential legal issues in the future.