WHEREAS, the Land Registration Authority (LRA) was transferred to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) pursuant to Executive Order No. 690, dated December 28, 2007;

WHEREAS, the government is committed to pursue a more responsive and efficient bureaucracy by adopting homogenous grouping of functionally related government agencies;

WHEREAS, with due regard to the quasi-judicial functions being performed by the LRA in land registration cases, and given the present mandate, organizational capability, expertise and experience of the LRA and its Registries of Deeds throughout the country, it is more appropriate that the LRA and its Registries of Deeds continue to perform its land registration functions under the Department of Justice (DOJ);

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title Ill, Book Ill of Executive Order No. 292, series of 1987, otherwise known as the œAdministrative Code of 1987?, provides that the President, subject to the policy in the Executive Office and in order to achieve simplicity, economy and efficiency, shall have continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

Section 1. Transferring LRA from DENR to the DOJ. - The LRA is hereby transferred from the DENR to the DOJ in order to ensure a more effective and efficient execution of laws relative to land registration.

Section 2. Repealing Clause. - All executive orders, including Executive Order No. 690, series of 2007, rules and regulation, and other issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order, are hereby either revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 3. Effectivity - This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 14th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven.

(SGD.)BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines

(SGD.) PAQUITO N.  OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary