Constitutional Provisions in

the Classification of Lands in

the Public Domain and
Natural Resources
THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
ARTICLE XII
NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PATRIMONY

Section 2. All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and
other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife,
flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the State. With the
exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated.
The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under
the full control and supervision of the State. The State may directly undertake such
activities, or it may enter into co-production, joint venture, or production-sharing
agreements with Filipino citizens, or corporations or associations at least sixty per
centum of whose capital is owned by such citizens. Such agreements may be for a
period not exceeding twenty-five years, renewable for not more than twenty-five
years, and under such terms and conditions as may be provided by law. In cases of
water rights for irrigation, water supply fisheries, or industrial uses other than the
development of water power, beneficial use may be the measure and limit of the
grant.
THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
ARTICLE XII
NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PATRIMONY

Section 3. Lands of the public domain are classified into agricultural, forest or
timber, mineral lands and national parks. Agricultural lands of the public
domain may be further classified by law according to the uses to which they may
be devoted. Alienable lands of the public domain shall be limited to agricultural
lands. Private corporations or associations may not hold such alienable lands of
the public domain except by lease, for a period not exceeding twenty-five years,
renewable for not more than twenty-five years, and not to exceed one thousand
hectares in area. Citizens of the Philippines may lease not more than five
hundred hectares, or acquire not more than twelve hectares thereof, by purchase,
homestead, or grant.
THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
ARTICLE XII
NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PATRIMONY

The State shall protect the nation's marine wealth in its archipelagic waters,
territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment
exclusively to Filipino citizens.

The Congress may, by law, allow small-scale utilization of natural resources by

Filipino citizens, as well as cooperative fish farming, with priority to subsistence
fishermen and fish- workers in rivers, lakes, bays, and lagoons.
 Land Classification in Public
Domain

Timber or National
Agricultural Forest Mineral
Parks
AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Land devoted to or suitable for the cultivation of the soil, planting of crops,
growing of trees, raising of livestock, poultry, fish or aquaculture production,
including the harvesting of such farm products, and other farm activities and
practices performed in conjunction with such farming operations by persons
whether natural or juridical and not classified by law as mineral land, forest land,
residential land, commercial land, and industrial land.
AGRICULTURAL LANDS
AGRICULTURAL LANDS
TIMBER OR FOREST LANDS
Forests are among the most valuable natural resources in the Philippines. They
provide a range of ecosystem services, ranging from the provision of food crops,
livestock and fish to providing recreational experiences. In 2013, the forestry sector
contributed PhP5.26 billion (0.12%) to the national gross domestic product (GDP)
(2014 Philippine Statistical Yearbook). Forests also serve as significant carbon sink
and are vital for biological conservation and environmental protection, locations
for education and research, habitat for indigenous flora and fauna, and
resettlement areas. According to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
(NCIP), forests serve as home to some 12-15 million indigenous peoples and
provide livelihood to many families.
TIMBER OR FOREST LANDS
Forest Defined. The Forest Management Bureau (FMB) of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) defines “forest” as land with an area
of more than 0.5 hectare and tree crown cover1 (or equivalent stocking level) of
more than 10 percent. The trees should be able to reach a minimum height of 5
meters at maturity in situ (original position/location). A forest consists of either
closed forest formations where trees of various storeys and undergrowth cover a
high proportion of the ground or open forest formations with a continuous
vegetation cover in which tree crown cover exceeds 10 percent. Young natural
stands and all plantations established for forestry purposes, which have yet to
reach a crown density of more than 10 percent or tree height of 5 meters are
included under forest.
TIMBER OR FOREST LANDS

Forest Cover. In 1934, forests comprised more than half (57%) of the country’s
total land area. In 2010, the forest cover has gone down to 23 percent or about 6.8
million hectares mainly due to increasing agricultural and housing needs,
commercial and illegal logging, and kaingin and forest fires. 2 The extensive
deforestation and degradation are brought about by the inequitable land
distribution, insecure tenure and rural poverty in the country. However, due to
intensified reforestation efforts of the government, the private sector and civil
society, as well as the enactment in 1992 of Republic Act No. 7858 or the National
Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), more than 200,000 hectares were
reforested from 2000 to 2008, the largest being in 2008, with about 43,610
hectares (Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016).
TIMBER OR FOREST LANDS
TIMBER OR FOREST LANDS
MINERAL LANDS
Mineral Lands are those lands in which minerals exist in sufficient quantity and
grade to justify the necessary expenditures in extracting and utilizing such minerals.
MINERAL LANDS

Minerals are natural substances -- usually comprising "inorganic element or

compound, having an orderly internal structure and characteristics, chemical
composition, crystal form, and physical properties" (NAMRIA-DENR, 1991). Any
concentration of these minerals, with a potential economic value that can be
extracted at a profit, is considered a mineral resource. Despite its small area, the
Philippines is one of the world's richly endowed countries in terms of mineral
resources. In 1994, the estimated levels of metallic and non-metallic mineral reserves
stood at 7 billion metric tons and 50 billion metric tons, respectively. Copper
accounted for the bulk of metallic mineral resources of about 72 percent; while
nickel’s share was estimated at 16 percent. Among the non-metallic minerals,
limestone and marble accounted for about 39 and 29 percent, respectively . In terms
of chromite resources, the Philippines is also one of the most endowed countries. In
fact, the country's refractory chromite resource in Zambales is considered as one of
the largest in the world.
MINERAL LANDS
MINERAL LANDS
NATIONAL PARKS
National Parks of the Philippines are places of natural or historical value
designated for protection and sustainable utilization by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources under the National Integrated Protected Areas
System Act (1992). As of 2012, there are 240 protected areas in the Philippines, of
which 35 have been classified as National Parks.
NATIONAL PARKS
NATIONAL PARKS
NATIONAL PARKS
NATIONAL PARKS
End..