60 families displaced by Mt. Pinatubo receive land titles after 35 years

Some 60 families who were displaced by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption 35 years ago have finally received land titles from the government during the awarding of land titles at the capitol grounds in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga on 22 June 2026.

The said awarding of Certificate of Land Titles is thru the help of the Resettlement Program of the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Provincial Government wherein 60 titles were turned over to the beneficiary families.

Marie Pablo, one of the beneficiaries, said that they waited for the day her family could finally call their resettlement home truly their own. Pablo received her long-awaited Certificate of Land Title for her property at the EPZA Resettlement Center in Barangay Pulung Cacutud, Angeles City.

Pablo was among the thousands of families displaced by the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, one of the most devastating natural disasters in Philippine history.

Her family’s home in Sapang Bato was destroyed by lahar and washed away following the eruption, forcing them to temporarily live in Tent City and resettlement center in EPZA before returning to Ilocos Norte to survive the difficult years that followed.

“Nasira at na-wash out ang bahay namin sa Sapang Bato noong pumutok ang Mt. Pinatubo, kaya inilipat kami sa Tent City. Dahil mahirap ang buhay noon, umuwi muna kami sa probinsya namin sa Ilocos Norte para makaraos,” Pablo recalled.

Now, 35 years later, she said receiving the title is more than just a document, it is a symbol of a new beginning.

“Napakalaking tulong nito dahil may titulo na kami. Para sa amin, ito na ang kapalit ng bahay namin sa Sapang Bato. Mamahalin namin ito bilang pagpapala mula sa Panginoon, at nagpapasalamat kami sa pamahalaan na naging instrumento upang matupad ito… unti-unti nakakarecover na kami,” she said.

Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and Atty. Jhon Bernardo, Officer-in-Charge of the NHA Pampanga, Bataan, and Zambales District Office led the distribution of land titles.

The latest distribution was held in line with the commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, which is remembered every June 15.

The NHA stated that the resettlement program was originally spearheaded by the former Mt. Pinatubo Commission following the 1991 eruption. After the commission was dissolved, the NHA assumed the administration and land titling responsibilities for the affected families.

Atty. Bernardo said the transition from one agency to another became one of the challenges in completing the titling process.

“Naging hamon ang transition mula sa Mt. Pinatubo Commission patungo sa NHA, ngunit sa pakikipagtulungan ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan, tuloy-tuloy ang pag-aayos ng mga backlog sa pamimigay ng titulo para sa ating mga benepisyaryo,” Bernardo said.

The beneficiaries include families displaced by the eruption and relocated to various resettlement areas established across the province. Based on NHA records, there are more than 37,000 beneficiaries under the program, with nearly half already awarded their respective land titles.

Governor Pineda said the release of land titles is an important step in giving resettled families the security and peace of mind they have long deserved.

For Pablo and many other beneficiaries, the title represents the end of a 35-year wait—and the beginning of a more secure future for their families.