To ensure the effective utilization and accurate accounting of the Judicial Forms  (JFs)  Used  for  the  generation   of  Emancipation   Patents  (EPs)  and Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs), and the control o the use of the signing and sealing machines and guarantee their integrity, the following systems and procedures are hereby promulgated:

I.   System   and   Procedures   on   the   Requisition,   Issuance,   Utilization   and Accounting of Judicial Forms^[1]

A. Requisition of JFs


1. The Provincial Judicial Form Account Officer (JFAO) shall review the Judicial Forms  Inventory  Report  (JFIR)  or LAD  EP/CLOA  Form  No. 1 of the province every year of the month;

2. In the event that the quantity of JFs at the DARPO has reached the Minimum Stock Volume (MSV) based on its projected consumption of JFs for the year, the JFAO shall request for the issuance of the required JFs from the DAR Regional Office (DARRO)  using Requisition  for JFs or RJF (LAD EP/CLOA  Form No 2). The Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) EP/CLOA Form No. 2 shall be accomplished in two (2) copies indicating the quantity of JFs being requisitioned and the remaining stocks on hand, and forward the same, together with the JFIR to  the  Chief  Agrarian   Reform  Program   Officer  (CARPO)   for  Land  Tenure Services or Field Operations Division (LTS/FOD);

The MSV of the province (MSVp) shall be computed based on the following formula (See Annex œA ) for the Sample Computation):

		The MSV of the province (MSVp) shall be computed based on the following formula (See Annex œA ) for the Sample Computation):
		MSVp - AMoCp (Average Monthly Consumption of the Province)
AMoCp	=	Where: Projected Consumption of JFs for the Year
		12 Months
		The formula for computing the total number of judicial forms to be requested by the province shall be (See Annex œA" for the Illustrative Sample):
	=	MSV x 3
Where:
QRJF	=	Number/Quantity of the DARPO ™s Request for Judicial Forms
MSV	=	Minimum Stock Volume
3	=	is a constant denoting the number of months in a quarter

3. The   CARPO   for   LTS/FOD   shall   review   the   request   for   JFs   and recommend the same for the approval and signature of the Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II);

4. The PARPO II shall approve and sign the RJFs of the province; and

5. The JFAO shall forward the request for JFs to the Records Section for proper recording and transmittal to the DARRO.

Department of Agrarian Reform Regional Office (DARRO)

1.     The Regional JFAO shall review the JFIR every end of the month;

3. In case the JFs at the DARRO have reached the MSV based on its projected consumption of JFs for the year, the JFAO shall request for the issuance of the required JF from the Bureau of Land Tenure Improvement (BLTI) using LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 1.

Two (2) copies of the RJF (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 2) shall be prepared, and the same, together with the JFIR, shall be forwarded to the CARPO for LTS/FOD;

The formula for the computation of MSV of the region (MSVr)
shall be: (See Annex "B  for the Sample Computation).

MSV  =     AMoCr (Average Projected Monthly Consumption of
JFS of the Region)

AMoCr   =     ‚ P =1n   =   ( P1 + P2 + ... Pn )
12 mos.     12 mos.

Where:

‚ P =1n   =      Total Projected Consumption of JFs for the Year of all Provinces
P1     =     Projected Consumption of JF for the Year of Province 1

P2     =     Projected Consumption of JF for the Year of
Province 2
Pn     =     Projected Consumption of JF for the Year of the nth Province.

3.         The CARPO for LTS/FOD shall review the request for JFs and recommend the same for approval by the Regional Director (RD);

4.         The RD shall approve and sign the RJFs of the region; and

5.         The JFAO shall forward the RJF to the Records Section for recording purposes. Immediately after recording, the Records Section shall forward the same to the BLTI-DARCO.

B.         Issuance of JFs

DARRO

1.   Upon receipt of DARPO ™s RJF, the JFAO shall:

a.  Record the same in the logbook/database designated for such purpose;

b.  Indicate  on  the  LAD  EP/CLOA  Form  No.  2  the  Requisition  Control Number; and

c.  Prepare and accomplish two (2) copies of the Issuance Voucher (IV) for Judicial Forms (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 3) indicating the issuance Control Number, quantity, and serial numbers of the JFs to be issued;

2.    The CARPO for LTS/FOD shall review the accuracy of the information in the RJF and the accomplished IV, and recommend the approval of the IV to the RD;

3.    The RD shall approve and sign the IV, and forward both the RJF and IV to the JFAO for the issuance of JFs;

4.    The JFAO shall issue the requested JFs on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis and personally deliver the same to the concerned DARPO in case the requesting Provincial JFAO could not personally claim the JFs;

5.    Inter-regional borrowing of JFs shall not be allowed.

BLTI-DARCO

1.   The  BLTI  JFAO  shah  acknowledge  receipt  and  record  in  the logbook/database the RJF submitted by the DARRO, and thereafter, review the same vis- -vis the JFIR (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 1);

If  the  information   is  accurate,   accomplish   in  two  (2)  copies  LAD EP/CLOA  Form  No.  3  and  forward  the  same,  together  with  the  RJF,  to  the CARPO  of the LTI Documentation  and  Coordination  Division  (LDCD-BLTI).  In case  the  information  is  not  consistent  with  the  JFIR,  return  the  RJFs  to  the concerned DARRO with instructions to reconcile DARRO records with JFIR;

2.          The  CARPO  of  the  LDCD-BLTI  shall  validate  the  RJF  of  the  region based on the LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 8/database and recommend the approval of the IV for JFST, to the BLTI Director;

The BLTI Director shall approve and sign the IV for JFs; and

4.     The designated BLTI JFAO shall issue the requested JFs on a first-in, first- out (FIFO) basis and personally  deliver the same to the concerned  DARRO  in case the requesting Regional JFAO could not personally claim the JFs.

C. Receipt of Issued JFs DARRO

The Regional JFAO shall undertake the following:

1.   Receive the denied or returned request for JFs from the BLTI, and notify the
DARPO for reconciliation of information or data;

6.   Receive the issued JFs from the BLTI;

7.   Inform the DARPO JFAO on the availability of the requested JFs; and,

8.   File the IV.

DARPO

Upon  receipt  of  the  JFs  from  the  DARRO,  the  JFAO  shall  record  in sequence  the  corresponding  serial  numbers  of  the  JF  in  the  Judicial  Forms Registry  book/database  of the DARPO  (Refer to LAD EP/CLOA  Annex œC" for the logbook format).

D.  Storage and Safekeeping of JFs

To ensure the safety and protection of accountable JFs, the JFAOs of concerned DARPO, the DARRO and the BLTI shall store the JFs in a vault intended for the purpose. The vault for JFs must be:

1.     Used exclusively for JFs and should not contain any other office documents or supplies;

2.     Locked, and the keys kept by the designated JFAO, duplicates of which shall be issued to the CARPO for LTS/FOD of the concerned DARPO, DARRO or CARPO LDCD of BLTI-DARCO, and the RD/Director of the BLTI; and

3.     Preferably placed in a safe room or storage that can withstand human intrusions and natural calamities (i.e., fire, flooding, etc.).

E. Utilization of JFs
DARPO

1.     The Land Distribution Folder (LDF) Verifying Officer, duly-designated by the PARPO II, shall prepare and sign two (2) copies of the JF Withdrawal Slip or JFWS (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 4);

2 .  The CARPO for LTS/FOD shall validate and approve the JFWS and forward the same to the JFAO for issuance of JFs;

3.   The JFAO  shall  issue  and record  JFs, and ensure  that the LDF  Verifying Officer shall affix his or her signature in the JF logbook/database  (Refer to LAD EP/CLOA Annex œC" for the logbook/database format);

4.  Upon  receipt  of  the  JFs,  the  LDF  Verifying  Officer  shall  generate  the EPs/CLOAs  based  on  the  LDF  and  return  the  generated  EPs/CLOAs  to  the JFAO for recording purposes;

5. The JFAO shall record all pertinent information contained in the EP or CLOA using the Judicial Form Utilization Worksheet or JFUW (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 5) according to the sequence of the serial numbers of JFs. The JFUW shall be accomplished  in three (3) copies and forwarded with the generated EPs/CLOAs to the designated Verifying Officer of EPs/CLOAs duly-designated by the PARPO II;

6.   The  designated  EP  and  CLOA  Verifying  Officer  shall  ensure  that  the  EP or CLOA   accomplished   are   error-free   by   validating   the   accuracy   of   the information indicated in the EPs/-CLOAs against the JFUW. He or she shall affix his or her initial below the name of the CARPO for LTS/FOD in the JFUW;

In case of spoiled EPs/CLOAs, he or she shall indicate œspoiled  in the remarks column of the JFUW and state the reason/s for its spoilage. Based on the number of spoiled JFs forwarded to the JFAO, the LDF Verifying Officer shall prepare  the  JFWS  (LAD  EP/CLOA  Form  No.  4)  for  the  replacement  of  the spoiled EPs/CLOAs;

7. The CARPO for LTS/FOD shall sign the JFUW and recommend for the initials of the PARPO the error-free EPs/CLOAs;

8.  The  PARPO  II  shall  affix  his  or  her  initials  on  all  copies  of  the  duly- accomplished  error-free  EPs/CLOAs  (owner ™s/co-owner's  duplicate  certificates) to be recommended for the initials of the RD; and

9. The JFAO  shall record,  according  to the sequence  of the serial  number  of JFs, in  the  designated  DAR  registry  book/database  the  following  information contained  in  the  error-free  and  spoiled  EPs/CLOA:  names  of  farmer- beneficiaries (FBs), names of FBs ™ respective spouses, survey number, location of barangay, lot number, area, date generated, name of landowners and corresponding title number.

DARRO

1. The  Regional  JFAO  shall  receive  the  error-free  EPs/CLOAs,  with  the JFUW (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 5) from the DARPO and record the same in the designated registry book/database;

2. The designated regional EP and CLOA Verifying Officer shall review the accuracy  of the  information  indicated  in the  EPs/CLOAs  against  the  attached JFUW and ensure that these are error-free. He or she shall affix his or her initials below the name of CARPO for LTS/FOD in the JFUW and transmit the same to the CARPO for LTS/FOD;

3. The  CARPO  for  LTS/FOD  shall  sign  the  JFUW  and  recommend  for initials of the RD all error-free EPs/CLOAs;

4.         In case of erroneous  EPs/CLOAs,  the Regional JFAO shall record and forward  the  duplicate  copy  of  the  JFUW  and  the  spoiled  EPs/CLOAs  to  the DARPO for appropriate action; and,

5.         The  RD  shall  affix  his  initials  in  the  accomplished  EPs/CLOAs  and forward the same to the CARPO of LTS/FOD for the notation of erroneous EPs/CLOAs, if any, in the Request for Authority to Use the Signing and Sealing Machine (RAUSSM).

F. Accounting, Inventory, and Reporting of JFs

DARPO

1. At the end of each month, the JFAOs of all the DARPOs shall conduct an accounting  of  all  JFs  using  Judicial  Forms  Inventory  Report  or  JFIR  (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 1).

Lost and unaccounted  JFs shall be reported  to the DARRO  using  the Report  on Lost/Unaccounted  JFs (LAD  EP/CLOA  Form  No. 6), to be accomplished in two (2) copies;

2.           The  CARPO  for  LTS/FOD  shall  review  and  sign  the  JFIR  and  the
Report on Lost or Unaccounted JFs (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 6); and

3.          The  JFAOs  shall  segregate  all  spoiled  JFs  from  the  unused  ones classified according to kind and type (i.e. EP, CLOA).

All spoiled JFs, whether or not bearing the signature of the Secretary, shall be kept for inspection and audit until finally stamped as "spoiled" by the designated JFAO of the DARRO.

Subject forms shall be forwarded by the Provincial JFAO to the DARRO together with  the JFUW  and JFIR  duly  signed  by the CARPO  LTS/FOD,  including  the Report  on Lost or Unaccounted  JFs, duly signed  by the PARPO  II, if any, tor proper recording after due inspection by the Regional JFAO.

DARRO

The Regional JFAO shall:

1. Receive  and record  reports  (JFUW,  JFIR and Lost and Unaccounted JFs) forwarded by DARPO; and

2. Prepare two (2) copies of the DARRO Consolidated Report on Judicial Form Disposition  (LAD-EP/CLOA  Form No. 7) quarterly  and submit  the same, with  the  spoiled  JFs  to  the  LDCD-BLTI  for  recording  and  proper  disposal  of spoiled JFs.

BLTI-DARCO

1.         The JFAO shall receive the DARRO consolidated report for national consolidation  using the BLTI Consolidated  Report on Judicial Form Disposition (LAD-EP/CLOA Form No. 8), as well as the spoiled JFs;

2.          The  BLTI  Director,  upon  validation  by  the  CARPO  LDCD-BLTI,  shall forward spoiled JFs to the Records Section for proper disposal;

3.          The CARPO of LDCD-BLTI shall prepare a narrative report on the JF disposition for signing of the BLTI Director to be submitted to the Office of the Secretary (OSec), through the Office of the Undersecretary  for Field Operations, attaching accomplished LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 8; and

4.          For the lost/unaccounted  JFs, conduct  validation  and prepare  findings with  concomitant  recommendation  and  submit  the  same  to  the  Office  of  the Secretary (OSec) for appropriate action, if any.

II.  SYSTEM AND PROCEDURES FOR THE USE OF SIGNING AND SEALING MACHINES

A.         Requisition  and  Approval  for  the  Authority  to  Use  the  Signing  and Sealing Machine

DARPO

1.         The  PARPO  II,  through  the  Provincial  JFAO,  shall  prepare  four  (4) copies  of  the  Request  for  Authority  to  Use  Signing  and  Sealing  Machines (RAUSSM) using the applicable prescribed form:

a. LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 9.A, for DARROs with SSM; or

b LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 9.B, for DARROs without SSM;

2.        The  PARPO  II shall  certify  that  the  EPs/CLOAs  in the  RAUSSM  were verified   and   processed   for   signing   and   sealing   in   accordance   with   the requirements and procedures provided under the applicable provisions of Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 27, Executive Order (E.O.) No. 228, Republic Act (R.A.) No. 6657, as amended,  and other pertinent  Land Registration  Authority (LRA) circulars, laws, rules and regulations, as the case may be, and warrant the integrity and authenticity  of all the foregoing CLOAs/EPs  to be generated using the SSM; and integrity and authenticity of all the foregoing CLOAs/EPs to be generated using the SSM; and

3.     The PARPO  II shall forward  the duly signed  RAUSSM  containing  his request and recommendation to the concerned DARRO for review and approval.
DARRO

1. The CARPO for LTS/FOD shall:

a. Review  the request  and recommendation  of the PARPO  II, as well as the completeness  and accuracy  of the information  indicated  in the RAUSSM; and

b. Forward the RAUSSM (LAD Form Nos. 9.A or 9.B) to the RD for consideration.

2. The RD shall:

a. Evaluate  the  recommendation  of the  PARPO  II and  if proper, shall  affirm  and  further  certify  that  the  SSM  shall  be  used  only  in accordance with the mandate of the DAR in the implementation of the Comprehensive  Agrarian  Reform  Program  (CARP)  after  all  the requirements   and  applicable  laws,  rules  and  regulations  have  been strictly followed; and

b. In case the DARRO has no SSM, forward the RAUSSM (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 9.B) to the nearest DARRO with SSM or to the BLTI for authorization to use SSM.

3. The RD with SSM or the Director of BLTI shall evaluate the request and if proper, shall approve and further certify that the SSM shall be used only in accordance  with the mandate  of the DAR  in the implementation  of the CARP after all the requirements and applicable laws, rules and regulations have been strictly followed, and forward the RAUSSM to the SSM Operator for the signing and sealing of the EPs and/or CLOAs; and

4. The  DARRO  with  SSM  or  BLTI  through  the  concerned  JFAO  shall record the approved RAUSSM (LAD EP/CLOA Form Nos. 9.A or 9.B) including the  EPs  and/or  CLOA,  and  JFUW  in  the  designated  logbook/database   and forward the same to the SSM Operator for the DARRO with SSM/ BLTI.

B. Use of Signing and Sealing Machines

1. The SSM Operator shall:

a. Receive  the  approved  RAUSSM  and  record  the  EPs  and/or CLOAs in the Signing and Sealing Machines Utilization Registry (SSMUR)/Database  (SSMUD);

b. When  the  signing  machine  is  for  trial  as  a  consequence  of mechanical  trouble,  breakdown,  repair  and  the  like,  record  the  control number registered appearing in the machine on the designated SSMUR Database (SSMUD before the said trial is undertaken;

c. Prior to the actual official operation/use of the signing machine, a signature sampling must be done on a clean sheet of paper. Do record the said signature sampling in the SSMUR. The specimen sheet shall be kept for inspection and audit by the OSec-CAD-BLTI Audit Team to be constituted by the Secretary;

d. Record  the  signature  sampling  in  the  SSMUR.  The  specimen sheet shall be kept for inspection and audit by the OSec-CAD-BLTI  Audit Team to be constituted by the Secretary;

e.  Sign  and  seal  the  EPs  and/or  CLOAs,  and  record  the  serial numbers of the JFs, including the date of the signing and sealing of EPs and/or CLOAs in the SSMUR;

f. Issue the signed EPs and/or CLOAs, JFUW and RAUSSM (LAD EP/CLOA   Form  Nos.  9.A  and  9.B)  to  the  Records   Section   of  the requisitioning party; and

2.         The Records Section of the requisitioning party shall receive the signed EPs and/or CLOAs, JFUW and RAUSSM, and sign the "received by" portion of the SSMUR.

C. Reporting Procedure for the Use of Signing and Sealing Machines

1.         The Signing and Sealing Machine Operator of the Regions/BLTI  where the signing and sealing machines are officially stationed shall prepare and sign three  3 copies  of the  consolidated  report  on  the  Use  of Signing  and  Sealing Machine Recording/Reporting  Sheet or SSMURRS (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 10) which is to be received and initialed by the CARPO for LTS/FOD, and approved by the RD; and

2.         The duly signed report shall be submitted to the OSec through the Office of  the  Undersecretary  for  Field  Operations,  every  quarter  copy  furnished  the BLTI, as well as the concerned DARRO and DARPO.

D. Storage and Safekeeping of Signing and Sealing Machines

The  RD  of  the  region  where  the  signing  and  sealing  machine  is  officially stationed shall be responsible for the storage, safety, and utilization of the same unless the Secretary recalls the SSM. As such, he/she shall:

1.         Provide a safety vault with lock which shall be exclusively  used for the storage of the signing and sealing machines; and

3. Designate an SSM Custodian who shall be responsible for the storage and safekeeping of the SSM, and an SSM Operator and his/her alternate who shall ensure the proper utilization of the machines. A Special Order signed by the DAR Secretary shall be issued on the matter.

III. MONITORING AND AUDIT OF JUDICIAL FORMS DISPOSITION AND USE OF SSM

A.         The duly constituted OSec-IAD-BLTI Audit Team shall:

1.         Conduct physical audit of judicial forms on an annual basis, specifically:

a. Review of the requisition, utilization, accounting, and inventory of
JFs;

b. Review of the JFUW to determine whether the reason/s of the spoilage of the JFs is/are valid;

c. Affix their signatures on the JFIR (LAD EP/CLOA Form No. 1)
and JF registry book after audit; and

d. Prepare  an  Audit  Report  based  on  the  audit  findings  and evidence,  including  recommendation  for the imposition  of sanction/s  on the  concerned  DAR  official/personnel  responsible  for  the  lost, unaccounted, and spoiled JFs.

2. Conduct physical audit of the use of SSM, specifically:

a. Review the SSM utilization  report, RAUSSM,  and other related documents; and

b. Prepare an Audit Report on the utilization of the SSM.

B.         The OSec shall issue a memorandum  to the concerned PARPOs II and RDs for the implementation of the recommendations  of the OSec-IAD-BLTI Audit Team as contained in the Consolidated Audit Report.

C.         The  OSec  may  also  refer  the  recommendation  of the  OSec-IAD-BLTI Audit  Team  to  the  Policy  Review  and  Formulation   Committee   (PRFC)  for possible  issuance  of guidelines  to further improve/enhance  the suggestions  for the requisition, utilization, accounting, inventory of JFs, as well the custody and storage of SSM.

IV.SANCTIONS

The DAR officials and personnel, who are found to have violated the rules and regulations promulgated under this M.C. such as but not limited to: fraudulently or negligently caused the loss, non-accounting and spoilage of any JF, and any inappropriate/unauthorized use of the SSM, shall be subject to administrative sanctions without prejudice to the filing of criminal and civil actions.

V. EFFECTIVITY

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately. All previous circulars or orders inconsistent herewith are hereby revoked.

Diliman, Quezon City, JAN 05 2018.

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^[1] Including the Autonomous Regional of Muslim (ARMM)