The Land Management Services (LMS) of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MENRE-BARMM) has received the first batch of Cotabato City land records from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 12), officials reported Saturday.

The turnover signaled that the city environment office now operates under the control and supervision of MENRE-BARMM following the 2019 two-part plebiscite where residents opted to join the fledgling autonomous region.

LMS Director Eshan Karl O. Mabang and Assistant Regional Director Mama G. Samaon led the MENRE and DENR-12 teams, respectively, during the turnover on Friday afternoon of land-related documents of Cotabato City that include its approved survey plans and records.

“There will be a series of turnover from DENR-12 to MENRE-BARMM for the land records of Cotabato City including the electronic copies of these documents,” Mabang said.

He said the records section of LMS in the MENRE is changing to develop the management, storage, and access to land-related documents in the BARMM to achieve an overall improvement in operations.

“The LMS is establishing a progressed records-keeping and management system for Cotabato City and the 63 villages in North Cotabato that also joined the BARMM during the 2019 plebiscite, to effectively cater to regionwide land documents, especially with the added data digitalization plan,” Mabang said.

Samaon said the DENR-12 is doing its best to hand over all land documents in a systematic manner for easy referral of MENRE-BARMM in the future. (PNA)