General

The Economic Growth Hubs Project is a Cooperative Agreement with the Asia Foundation. The project has three objectives: Better Provision of Infrastructure, Better Performing Economic Growth Hubs, and Promoting a political economy approach to economic policy reform process. One of the activities under Better Performing Economic Growth Hubs was the provision of technical support for the passage and effective implementation of the Residential Free Patent law in the Philippines. The Residential Free Patent Act (RA 10023), passed in March 2010, creates a low-cost, administrative procedure to more efficiently title the estimated 8,000,000 untitled residential parcels in the country and unlock “dead capital” to drive economic development. Objectives Better Provision of Infrastructure: a) Through improved public-private partnerships (PPP) – This activity will seek to establish an enduring policy and institutional environment that promotes competitively bid and properly implemented PPP infrastructure projects; b) Through increasing transparency and accountability in budget and spending – The goal is to broaden participation in the allocation and implementation of infrastructure investments. The project will provide technical assistance to civil society, business associations and/or government institutions to increase understanding and participation in the decision-making and implementation processes of infrastructure projects in the Philippines; c) To expand Philippine Roll On, Roll Off (RoRo) network both domestically and regionally Better improving growth hubs: a) Improve the institutional capacity of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA); b) Develop the Subic-Clark as a major tourism and logistics hub; c) Assist in the effective implementation of the Residential Free Patent law Promoting a political economy approach to economic policy reform process – to develop material to increase understanding of the political economy of reform, to develop policy entrepreneurs, inform the design of donor project activities, and support new reform initiatives (with AusAID and World Bank) Outcomes To improve the security of property rights in the Philippines, USAID supported the implementation of the Residential Free Patent Act (RA 10023), passed in March 2010, that creates a low-cost, administrative procedure to more efficiently title the estimated eight million untitled residential parcels in the country and unlock “dead capital” to drive economic development. To further institutionalize reform, the project help established robust partnerships between national Department of Environment and Resources (DENR) and local governments. These partnerships leverage the authority of DENR to issue titles and the resources and interests of LGUs in land titling. Since the pilot was launched in Cebu in January 2011, over 100 local governments have established “land offices”. Based on lessons from the field and working with the DENR’s Land Management Bureau, the project also developed a manual to guide DENR and LGU personnel on establishing and operating land offices.

General

The purpose of the Evaluation, Research and Communication (ERC) project is to create, expand, and communicate the results of evidence-based knowledge around best land tenure and property rights practices in order to enhance internal USAID and external USG learning, guide program design and implementation, and make the most effective use of limited development resources to accomplish key USG development objectives. Activities will support achievement of intermediate result 1.2 under Strategic Objective 1 of the Climate Change and Development Strategy, which notes USAID support for “ensuring the rights and engagement of local and indigenous communities” in conjunction with a focus on improving tools and capacity for land-use planning to reduce deforestation. ERC will also support biodiversity conservation through collection and dissemination of evidence-based knowledge on how secure land tenure and property rights can incentivize sustainable land use and protection of valuable ecosystems including the forest, water and wildlife within them. Work conducted under ERC should adopt a multidisciplinary approach to learning that aligns with USAID’s Evaluation and Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policies and that communicates results of evaluation and research using innovative, creative methods that target key audiences. This work will also contribute to USAID Forward. Objectives Impact Evaluations: evaluate different modalities for land certification applied across Ethiopia Research: build on the existing body of USAID land tenure and property rights work and extend this base of knowledge; encourage debate around innovative models and competing hypotheses related to land tenure and property rights interventions and expected outcomes – challenge existing assumptions Communications: implement strategies to ensure that new knowledge and learning is incorporated into communications efforts, that new knowledge and learning feeds effectively into Land Tenure Division program design efforts, that this knowledge and learning is accessible to users of the Land Tenure Division’s communication products, and that communication efforts and knowledge management take advantage of creative and innovative approaches to conveying information to key target audiences including policy makers, development experts, Mission staff, civil society organizations, women and other vulnerable groups.

General

Land Policy and Institutional Support in Liberia The Land Policy and Institutional Support (LPIS) Project, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), is collaborating with the Liberian Land Commission, the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy (MLME) and the Center for National Document and Records Agency (CNDRA) to improve the policy and legal frameworks for land management and thereby increase security of tenure, investment in land, and land market activity. LPIS provided recommendations for addressing sources of tenure insecurity faced by rural communities in Liberia based on land and natural resource tenure field research. The Land Commission has already incorporated these recommendations in drafting a land rights policy that recognizes customary tenure and stipulates that the tenure category has the same rights as private tenure and should be protected accordingly. The draft policy paper is a result of lengthy deliberations of a Real Property Task Force, one of many task forces within the Land Commission. USAID and MCC are supporting other task forces, land conflict resolution, land use and management, and land administration, through technical assistance. LPIS collaborated with the Department of Lands, Surveys and Cartography within MLME, as well as the Survey Licensing and Registration Board and the Cartographic and Surveyors Association of Liberia, to improve the survey infrastructure through the acquisition and subsequent training in the use of modern survey equipment, as well as reviews of existing spatial data, and development of geodetic control standards. LPIS conducted a thorough baseline study of existing processes within CNDRA, followed by developing numerous recommendations for modernizing the institution. CNDRA has undergone ambitious reform over the last year, highlighted by the opening of the Customer Service Center. LPIS supported the physical reconstruction of the center as well as the provision of hardware and software to digitize and register land deeds. The center allows CNDRA staff to quickly scan land deeds and accompanying maps and return the original documents to the landowners. In the two months following the opening of the Customer Service Center, over 400 transactions took place, of which 76 were deeds, and 10 enquiries. The Land Policy and Institutional Support (LPIS) project seeks to 1) increase clarity and public understanding of property rights issues in order to inform reforms of land policies and laws; 2) rebuild management and public and private surveying capacity to improve future land administration, and 3) increase efficiency in deed registration, restore and improve deed records and procedures. Objectives Provide information needed for reforms in land policy and law to promote equitable access to land and increased land tenure security. Rebuild technical capacity in land administration and surveying in the Department of Land, Surveys and Cartography (DLSC) of the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy (MLME), and the private sector. Rehabilitate the Deed Registry system within the Center for National Documents and Records/Archives (CNDA), including minor physical repairs, provision of office equipment, and funding for the preservation and digitization of records of land rights. Outcomes Enrolled six Liberian youth in a scholarship program to obtain a Master’s degree in Land Administration/Surveying. After completing their degree in 2013, the students will develop a university curriculum and work for the government to rebuild services and capacity. Completed a pilot project in Lofa County’s Zorzor District and Maryland County’s Pleebo District to inventory tribal certificates. Rehabilitated the CNDA customer service center, with the facility scheduled to open in August 2012.