By U.S. News Agency / Asian

President Benigno Aquino has returned to the Department of Justice (DoJ) the supervision of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) in a bid to ensure the effective implementation of laws concerning land registration.

LRA was an attached agency of the DOJ until the previous administration transferred its management to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in December 2007 by virtue of Executive Order No. 690.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said on Friday the President signed on March 14 Executive Order No. 30, which ordered the repeal of EO 690 and transfer to the DOJ of LRA and its Registries of Deeds all over the country.

Ochoa said the move was in line with the Aquino administration’s resolve to “develop and enforce a more perceptive and competent government” by “adopting homogenous grouping of functionally related agencies.”

He said the LRA was proven more effective under the DOJ’s watch given the “expertise and experience” of those in the justice department.

“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 DOJ,” Ochoa explained.

EO 30 shall take effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.