OFFICIAL STATEMENT: 𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘰. 476

𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘰. 476

19 June 2026

Central Mindanao University affirms its lawful and exclusive possessory rights over its land reservation established under Presidential Proclamation No. 476, issued on January 16, 1958. Through this Proclamation, the Republic of the Philippines reserved approximately 3,080 hectares of public land for the University’s educational, research, extension, and development purposes, withdrawing the area from disposition and dedicating it to the service of present and future generations of Filipinos.

For decades, the University’s rights over these lands have been consistently recognized by the courts:

1. In Central Mindanao University v. Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board (G.R. No. 100091, October 22, 1992), the Supreme Court ruled that the subject lands are not covered by agrarian reform distribution and affirmed the University’s rights over portions necessary for its educational mandate.

2. In Central Mindanao University v. Executive Secretary (G.R. No. 184869, September 21, 2010), the Court declared that lands reserved for CMU under Proclamation No. 476 had ceased to be alienable public lands and could not be withdrawn for other purposes through subsequent executive action.

3. In CMU v. Republic (G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016), the Court recognized that CMU remains the rightful possessor of the property by virtue of PP 476.

4. On July 31, 2023, the Regional Trial Court, Branch 45, affirmed the University’s prior and lawful possession of the contested areas, upholding the principle that no right can arise from unlawful entry or usurpation of property reserved by law for public education.

Guided by these decisions, CMU remains steadfast in protecting the lands entrusted to it by the State. The University will pursue all appropriate legal remedies available under the Constitution and the laws of the Republic to safeguard this educational reservation. These lands are not held for any administration, sector, or interest group. They constitute a national patrimony held in trust for the Filipino people.

CMU is duty-bound to preserve the land resources essential to its mandate. To diminish or impair them would undermine not only the rule of law but also the future of students, researchers, farmers, scientists, and communities who depend on the University for education, innovation, food security, and sustainable development.

The University reaffirms its commitment to due process and the peaceful resolution of concerns, in coordination with the relevant government agencies. CMU will continue to uphold judicial decisions, protect the integrity of PP 476, and ensure that the lands reserved for learning, research, and public service remain dedicated to those purposes for generations yet unborn.