JUDICIALPROCEDUREFORLANDTITLING

Reporter:JocelynM.Magaway

LandTitleistheevidenceoftheownersrightorextentofinterest,bywhichhecanmaintaincontrol
andasaruleassertrighttoexclusivepossessionandenjoymentofproperty.
Landregistrationisajudicialoradministrativeproceedingwherebyapersonsclaimoveraparticular
landisdeterminedandconfirmedorrecognizedsothatsuchlandandtheownershipthereofmaybe
recordedinapublicregistry.
TorrensSystemisasystemofregistrationoflandunderwhich,uponthelandownersapplication,the
courtmay,afterappropriateproceedings,directtheissuanceofacertificateoftitle.
Lawsimplementinglandregistration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

PropertyRegistrationDecree(PD1529,asamended)
CadastralAct(Act2259,asamended)
PublicLandAct(CommonwealthAct141,asamended)
EmancipationDecree(PD27,asamended)
ComprehensiveAgrarianReformLawof1988(RA6657,asamended)

KindsofJudicialRegistration
1. Judicial/Voluntary/Ordinarybyfilingwiththepropercourt;applicationbytheprivate
individualhimself
2. Administrative/Involuntary/Cadastralcompulsoryregistrationinitiatedbythegovernment
ProcedureinOrdinaryLandRegistration
1. SurveyofthelandbytheBureauofLandsoradulylicensedprivatesurveyor
a. SurveyplanmustbedulyapprovedbytheDirectorofLands.
2. Filingofapplicationforregistrationbytheapplicant
a. Withallmuniments1oftitlesandcopiesthereofwithsurveyplanapprovedbythe
BureauofLands
b. AlwaysfiledattheRegionalTrialCourt(RTC)oftheplacewherethelandissituated
c. IndorsedtotheMunicipalTrialCourt(MTC)ifthereisnocontroversyoverthelandorif
itsvalueislessthanP100,000
d. IncasesofdelegatedjurisdictiontotheMTC,appealisdirectedtotheCourtofAppeals
e. Iflandissituatedbetweenboundariesoftwoprovinces,applicationmustbefiled:

MunimentsofTitleareinstrumentsorwrittenevidencewhichapplicantholdsorpossessestoenablehimto
substantiateandprovetitletohisestate.

3.
4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

12.

i. Whenboundariesarenotdefined;intheRTCoftheplacewhereitisdeclared
fortaxationpurposes;
ii. Whenboundariesaredefined;separateplanforeachportionmustbemadeby
asurveyorandaseparateapplicationforeachlotmustbefiledwiththe
appropriateRTC
SettingthedateofinitialhearingofapplicationbytheRTC
a. Within5days,sethearing4590daysfromdateoforder
Transmittaloftheapplicationandthedateoftheinitialhearing,withallthedocumentsorother
evidencesthereto,bytheClerkofCourttotheLandRegistrationAuthority(LRA)
Publicationofnoticeofthefilingoftheapplicationandthedateandplaceofhearinginthe
OfficialGazette.Thethreenoticesrequiredaremandatory.
a. Publication2ofnoticeofinitialhearing
i. OnceintheOfficialGazettethisconfersjurisdictionuponthecourt
ii. Onceinanewspaperofgeneralcirculation
b. MailingwithinsevendaysafterpublicationintheOfficialGazette,mailingofnoticeto:
i. Personsnamedinthenotice
ii. SecretaryofPublicHighways,ProvincialGovernorandMayor,iftheapplicant
requeststohavethelineofapublicwayorroaddetermined
iii. SecretaryofAgrarianReform,SolicitorGeneral,DirectorofLands,Directorof
Fisheries,DirectorofMines,ifthelandbordersonariver,navigablestreamor
shoreoranarmoftheseawhereariverorharborlies
iv. Otherpersonsasthecourtmaydeemproper
c. Postinginconspicuousplaceonsubjectlandandonbulletinboardofmunicipalbuilding
atleast14daysbeforeinitialhearing
Serviceofnoticebythesheriffuponcontiguousowners,occupantsandthoseknowntohave
interestsintheproperty
Filingofanswertotheapplicationbyanypersonnamedinthenoticeornot
Hearingbythecourt
Promulgationofjudgmentbythecourt
IssuanceofthedecreedeclaringthedecisionfinalandinstructingtheLandRegistration
Authoritytoissueadecree3ofconfirmationandregistration
EntryofthedecreeofregistrationintheLRA
a. Oneyearafterthedateofentry,itbecomesincontrovertibleandamendmentswillnot
beallowedexceptclericalerrors.Itisdeemedconclusiveastothewholeworld.
b. Putsanendtolitigation.
c. PurposeofTorrenssystemisprotected
SendingacopyofthedecreeofregistrationtothecorrespondingRegistryofDeeds

Purposeofpublication:
Toconferjurisdictionoverthelandappliedforuponthecourt
Tochargethewholeworldwithknowledgeoftheapplicationofthelandinvolved,andinvitethemtotake
partinthecaseandassertandprovetheirrightsoverthesubjectland.
3
DecreeissuedbytheLRAafterfinalityofjudgment;containstechnicaldescriptionofland.

13. Transcriptionofthedecreeofregistrationintheregistrationbookandissuanceoftheowners
duplicateOriginalCertificateofTitle(OCT)theapplicantbytheRegistryofDeedsuponpayment
ofprescribedfees.
WhomayapplyinordinaryregistrationproceedingsunderPD1529:
1. Thoseinopen,continuous,exclusive,notoriouspossessionofpatrimonialpropertyofstate
underbonafideclaimofownershipsinceJune12,1945orearlier
2. Thosewhoacquiredownershipofprivatelandbyprescription
3. Thosewhoacquiredownershipofprivatelandsbyrightofaccretion
4. Thosewhoacquiredownershipinanymannerprovidedforbylaw
FormandContentsofApplication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Inwritingandsignedbyapplicantorpersondulyauthorized
Descriptionofland
Citizenship
CivilStatus
Fullnamesandaddressofoccupantsandadjoiningowners

Whattoaccompanyapplication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

TracingclothplandulyapprovedbytheDirectorofLands
Threecopiesoftechnicaldescriptions
Threecopiesofsurveyorscertificate
Alloriginalmunimentsoftitle
Fourcopiesofcertificatebycity/provincialtreasurerofassessedvalueofland

ProceduresinCadastralRegistration
1. CadastralSurvey
a. InopinionofthePhilippinePresidentpursuanttorequirementofpublicinterest,titleof
landwithinaspecifiedareaneedstobesettledandadjudicated
b. OrderDirectorofLandstomakesurveyandplan
c. Directorgivesnoticetopersonsclaiminginterestinlandsandtogeneralpublicofdayof
surveypublishedintheOfficialGazetteandpostedinconspicuousplaceonlandsto
besurveyed
d. Geodeticengineerscommencessurvey
e. Duringsurvey,boundariesaremarkedbymonuments.
2. Filingofpetition
a. Aftersurveyandplothavebeenmade,DirectorrepresentedbySolicitorGeneral
institutescadastralproceedingbyfilingpetitionincourtagainstholders,claimants,
possessors,occupants
b. Parceloflotsgiventheircadastralnumbers

3. Publicationofnoticeofhearing
a. Courttoorderdateofhearing
b. LRAtonotifypublicbypublishingnoticeonceintheOfficialGazetteandonceinthe
newspaperofgeneralcirculationandcopymailedtopersonwhoseaddressisknown
andothercopiespostedinconspicuousplacedesignatedbylaw
4. Filingofanswer
a. Anypersonclaiminginterestinanypartoflandssubjecttopetitionisrequiredtofilean
answer
b. Answermustgivethefollowingdetails:
i. Ageofclaimant
ii. Cadastralnumberoflotclaimed
iii. Nameofbarrioormunicipalitywherelotislocated
iv. Nameofownersofadjoininglots
v. Ifinpossessionandwithoutgrantnumberofyearsinpossession
vi. Ifnotinpossessionstateinterestclaimed
vii. Ifassessedoftaxationassessedvalue
viii. Anyencumbrancesaffectingsaidlots
5. Hearingofcase
a. Inanyconvenientplacewherelandlies
b. LikeanordinaryRTCtrial
c. Conflictingclaimsaredetermined
d. Lotsclaimedareawardedtopersonsentitiesiftheycouldprovetitle
e. Ifnonecouldprovetitlelandisdeclaredpublicdomain
6. Decisionclaimantsarenotifiedofdecision
7. Issuanceofdecreeandcertificateoftitle
a. Uponorderofthecourt,LRAtoenterdecreeofregistration
b. DecreemadebasisfortheissuanceofOriginalCertificateofTitle

Nature
Applicant
Landscovered

Parties

Purpose

Personwhorequeststhesurvey
Effectofjudgment

PD1529
Voluntary
Landowner
Usuallyinvolvesprivate
land
Itmayalsoreferto
publicagriculturallands
iftheobjectofthe
actionisconfirmationof
imperfecttitle
Applicantandopponent

Petitionercomestocourtto
confirmhistitleandseeksthe
registrationoflandinhisname
Landowner
Noadverseclaim
Iftheapplicantfailsto
provehistitle,his
applicationmaybe
dismissedwithout
prejudice(nores
judicata)

Cadastral
Compulsory
DirectorofLands
Allclassesoflandsareincluded

Government,landownersmust
cometocourtasclaimantsof
theirownlands
Governmentasksthecourtto
settleandadjudicatethetitleof
theland
Government
Ifnoneoftheapplicants
canprovethatheis
entitledtotheland,the
sameshallbedeclared
public(resjudicata)