BBM: Lucena families near land titles as aid rolls out, port terminal nears opening

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino and Boots Gonzales President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addresses rice-aid beneficiaries in Lucena City on July 21,...

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino and Boots Gonzales

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addresses rice-aid beneficiaries in Lucena City on July 21, 2026. (PIA Calabarzon)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, July 21, tied land tenure and direct assistance to a transport upgrade in Lucena City, moving 100 families toward individual titles and placing more than 52,000 indigent families and senior citizens under a recurring rice program. Marcos also met 165 presidential scholars, ceremonially awarded ₱20,000 each to 10 students and inspected a passenger terminal scheduled to open in August.

Quezon Gov. Angelina “Helen” Tan and Lucena Mayor Mark Alcala accompanied Marcos during the land-entitlement and assistance programs in Lucena City. The certificate award was held at the Lucena Convention Center, followed by the assistance activity along City Government Complex Road and the terminal inspection at the Port of Lucena in Barangay Talao-Talao.



Land entitlements

The Certificates of Entitlement were awarded under the theme “Katiyakan sa Paninirahan, Kaunlaran ng Pamilyang Pilipino” and Presidential Proclamation 436. The proclamation covers 17.6 hectares in Barangay Ibabang Iyam, including about 11 hectares designated for residential lots.

With Tuesday’s batch included, Lucena has now issued certificates to 285 of the more than 1,000 residents targeted for coverage under the proclamation. National and city officials are coordinating the remaining awards and supporting documentation in an effort to complete all outstanding distributions by 2027.

Although a Certificate of Entitlement documents a beneficiary’s claim to an assigned lot, it does not replace the individual title required to register ownership. Marcos explained how the interim document fits into the next stage of processing individual land titles for the beneficiaries.

“Kaya sa pamamagitan nitong ating ginagawa na pagbibigay ng Certificate of Entitlement, ay natiyakan na po ng ating mga benepisyaryo na sila po ay maaari na, dahil hawak na ang Certificate of Entitlement, mapabilis ang proseso sa pagbibigay ng titulo ng mga lupa,” Marcos said.

Then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Presidential Proclamation 436 on Aug. 11, 2003, establishing the legal basis for allocating portions of public land in Barangay Ibabang Iyam. Lucena’s certificate rollout began only in March 2025, more than 21 years later, when the first distribution covered 185 qualified families.

“Kaya’t ako’y natutuwa na sa ating administrasyon ay naituloy natin at masasabi natin na nabigyan natin ng katuparan ang Presidential Proclamation na ito at napatunayan natin na ang ating mga kababayan na nangangailangan ng titulo para sa kanilang lupa ay magkakaroon na ng titulo dahil nabigyan na ng Certificate of Entitlement,” Marcos said.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the Expanded 4PH Program treats tenure regularization as a separate track alongside the construction of new housing. Before Tuesday, the DHSUD had granted Certificates of Entitlement or Certificates of Lot Award to 684 families in Laguna, Palawan, Iloilo City and Lucena.

Rice and scholarship assistance

Under the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program, each covered beneficiary is allotted 10 kilograms of rice every two months through the Local Government Support Fund. Marcos ceremonially presented rice packs to a group of beneficiaries gathered for the assistance program at the City Government Complex.

The presidential scholars attended an orientation explaining the educational assistance available to them and how it could help them continue their studies. Marcos encouraged them to apply their education in supporting their families, serving their communities and contributing to national development.

Lucena’s 33 barangays received a combined ₱6.60 million from the Socio-Civic Projects Fund, equivalent to ₱200,000 for each barangay and inclusive of scholarship allocations. Nationwide releases under the SCPF-Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program reached ₱6.97 billion for 34,830 barangays as of July 17.

Port terminal upgrade

The Port of Lucena handles more than 50,000 passengers each week on routes connecting Quezon with Marinduque, Romblon and Masbate. Its upgraded terminal increases waiting capacity to 1,000 seats, giving passengers more room while awaiting departures through the regional gateway.

Philippine Ports Authority records show that the contract to convert an existing transit shed into the passenger terminal was awarded for about ₱115.15 million in February 2025. The completed conversion created additional passenger space to ease crowding during holidays and other peak travel periods.

Automated ticketing counters, modern comfort rooms, improved ventilation systems and solar panels were installed throughout the upgraded facility. Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the project follows Marcos’ directive to modernize ports and improve passenger services nationwide.

Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Jay Santiago said the larger terminal would give the port more room to manage peak-period crowds and future traffic growth. He said the added capacity would accommodate rising passenger demand while supporting tourism, commerce and cargo movement across Southern Luzon and neighboring island provinces.