Land Titles and Deeds (SY 2017 to 2018)

Atty. Francis R. Doble

Part 1 Land Titling

I. Introduction

Land Administration

A. Government Agencies Involved in Land Administration

B. Public and Private Lands

- Public Domain Lands
- Private Domain Lands
C. Land Titles and Land Registration
- Title as Naked Right of Ownership (This is the legal definition)
- Titled Land as Registered Land
- Untitled Land as Unregistered Land
D. Land Ownership in the Philippines

E. Pre-Spanish Concept of Land Ownership

F. Spanish Period
- Ownership of Lands by Discovery
- Land Titles Issued during the Spanish Period
- Spanish Mortgage Law
G. American Period
- Treaty of Paris of 1898 Between the U.S. and Spain
- Philippine Bill of 1902 (First Constitution)

Cases:
1) Johnson vs Mackintosh
2) Chaves vs. The United States (175 U.S., 552)
3) Valenton vs Marciano 3 Phil. Reports 537, 2 Off. Gaz., 434,
March 30, 1904;
4) Cansino vs Valdez, G.R. No. L-2468, July 16, 1906
5) Cario vs Insular Government, 212 U. S., 449
6) Jones vs. Insular Government, G.R. No. L-2506 April 16,
1906, 6 Phil.122
7) Susi vs. Razon and Director of Lands, G.R. No. L-24066,
December 9, 1925
8) Mapa vs. Insular Government, G.R. No. L-3793, February 19,
1908, 10 Phil.,1753
9) Cornelio Ramos vs. Director of Lands, (G.R. No. 13298
November 19, 1918)
10)Government of the Philippine Islands vs. Abella, G.R. No.
L-25010 October 27, 1926, (49 Phil. 49)
11) Jocson vs Director of Forestry
12) Oh Cho vs Director of Lands, 75 Phil. 890
13)Uy Un vs. Perez, 71 Phil. 508 "En Espaol
14)Mindanao vs. Director of Lands, L-19535, July 10, 1967
II. Land Classification

A. Definition

B. Laws Relating to Land Classification

1. Agricultural Lands - Commonwealth Act No. 141 (Public

Land Act)

2. Forest Lands - Presidential Decree No. 795 (Revised Forestry

Code)

3. Mineral Lands - Republic Act No. 7931 (Mining Act of 1995)

4. National Parks - Republic Act No. 7598 (National Integrated

Protected Area System Act)

C. Specific Rules on Land Classification

1. Classification describes the legal nature not the natural

state of the land
 2. Executive Department determines land classification (CA No.
141 and PD No. 705)

3. Congress has the power to reclassify of land (Section 4 of

Republic Act No. 6657)

4. Congress will determine the final forest line

5. Disposition of public lands limited to agricultural lands;

D. Classification of Lands

1.Criteria in Land Classification

2.Lands of the Public Domain

- Agricultural lands

- Forest Land

- Mineral Lands

- National Parks

Cases:
15) DOJ Opinion No. 23, Series of 1995.
16) DENR vs Yap (G.R. No. 167707, October 08, 2008)
17) De Aldecoa vs Insular Government (G.R. No. 3894. March 12,
1909)
18) Krivenko vs. Register of Deeds of Manila (18 G.R. No. L-630.
November 15, 1947)
19) Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. vs. Dumyung (GR No.
L-31666, April 20, 1929)
20) Republic vs. Court of Appeals and dela Rosa (GR No. L-43938,
April 15, 1988)
21) Cruz vs. DENR Secretary (G.R. No. 135385, December 6,
2000)
22) Republic vs. Peralta, et al., En Banc (G.R. No. 150327, June
18, 2003)
23) Sta. Monica Industrial and Development Corporation vs.
Court of Appeals (189 SCRA 792)
24) Director of Forestry vs. Villareal (G.R. No. L-32266 February
27, 1989)
25) Republic vs. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 155450, August 6,
2008)
26) Republic of the Philippines vs. Court of Appeals, En Banc
(G.R. No. 127245, January 30, 2001)
27)Montao vs. Insular Govt. G.R. No. 3714, January 26, 1909
28)Chavez vs. Public Estates Authority G.R. No. 133250, July 9,
2002
29)Bureau of Forestry vs. CA and Gallo G.R. No. L-37995, August
31, 1987
30)Director of Lands vs. CA and Bisnar, G.R. No. 83609, October
26, 1989

V. Identifying Lands - Survey and Mapping

A. Basic Concepts in Land Surveys and Mapping

1. Land Survey

2. Survey Maps

3. General Uses:

4. Use for Property Identification

B. Government Agencies with Land Survey and Mapping

Functions

1. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

2. National Mapping and Resource Information Agency

(NAMRIA)

3. Land Registration Authority (LRA)

4. Local Governments

C. System of Land Survey and Mapping in the Philippines

1. Persons Authorized to Conduct Land Surveys

2. Defining Legal Boundaries

3. Survey Authority and Survey Order

 4. Cadastral and Isolated Surveys

5. Narrative Technical Descriptions

6. Survey Maps and Records

7. Court Determination of Land Boundaries

Cases:
31)Golloy v. Court of Appeals, (G.R. No. 47491, May 4, 1989)
32)Cambridge Realty and Resources Corporation vs. Eridanus
Development, Inc. and Chiton Realty Corp., (G.R. No. 152445,
July 4, 2008)
33)Felipe de Guzman vs. Manuel de Santos, (G.R. No. 6609.
December 2, 1911)

IV. Modes of Acquiring Ownership to Public Lands

A. Ownership of land must be traced to a government land

grant

1. Direct Grants (Homestead, Sales, Free Patent)

2. Indirect Grants (Prescription, Accretion and Accession)

3. Land Grants Excludes Minerals

B. General Conditions Necessary for the Issuance of a Land

Patent (Direct Grant)

1. Alienable and Disposable Lands

2. Surveyed and Delineated

3. Not for Public or Quasi-Public Use or Appropriated by the

Government.

4. Not private lands

5. Restrictions and limitations on Transfers of Land Patents

6. Area limitation under the Constitution and the law

6. Qualification of Applicant
C. Public Land Grants in Agricultural Lands

1. Homestead - Title II, Chapter III, Sections 12 to 21 of

Commonwealth Act No. 141

2. Sales - Title II, Chapter IV, Sections 22 to 32 of

Commonwealth Act No. 141;

3. Lease - Title II, Chapter V, Sections 33 to 43 of

Commonwealth Act No. 141;

4. Free Patent - Title II, Chapter VI, Sections 44 to 46 of

Commonwealth Act No. 141.

D. Public Land Grants In Residential, Commercial, Industrial

Lands

(1) Sales - under Title III, Chapter VIII, Sections 60 to 68 of

Commonwealth Act No 141;

(2) Republic Act No. 730 (1952) - Direct sale of residential

lands subject to conditions

(3) Batas Pambansa Bilang 223 (1982-1987) - limited

residential free patent

(4) Republic Act No. 10023 (2010) - Residential Free Patent

Law

E. Restrictions on Patents

1. On Transfers and Conveyances

2. Easements and Servitudes

F. Title Obtained by Operations of Law (Section 14, PD No.

1529)

5. General Considerations

6. Concept of Adverse Possession & Prescription

G. Section 14, Paragraph (a) Open, continuous, exclusive and

notorious possession and occupation of alienable and
disposable lands of the public domain under a bona fide
claim of ownership since June 12, 1945, or earlier;
 H. Section 14, Paragraph (b) - Those who have acquired
ownership of private lands by prescription under the
provision of existing laws;

Cases:
34) Maximo Cortes vs. City Of Manila, G.R. No. L-4012, March
25, 1908
35) Republic vs. de Guzman, 326 SCRA 574 (old view) Alienable
and Disposable vs. Time of Application for Registration
36) Malabanan vs. Court of Appeals
37) San Miguel Corporation vs. Court of Appeals, 185 SCRA 722
(1990).
38) Director of Lands vs. IAC and Acme Plywood and Veneer Co.
Inc. G.R. No. 73002, December 29, 1986)
39) Susana Meguinto, et al. vs. Republic of the Philippines, GR
No. 134308, December 14, 2000).
40) Republic vs. de Guzman, 326 SCRA 574
41) Republic of the Philippines vs. East Silverland Realty
Development Corporation; G.R. No. 186961, February 20, 2012;
42) Tan, et al. vs. Republic of the Philippines, G.R. No. 193443,
April 16, 2012.
44) Republic vs. C.A. and Tancinco, et al., G.R. No. L-61647
October 12, 1984;
45) Republic vs. Santos III and Santos, Jr., November 12, 2012,
2012G.R. No. 160453
46) Ignacio Grande vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. L-17652, June
30, 1962

I. Section 14, Paragraph (d) - Those who have acquired

ownership of land in any other manner provided for by law.

J. Title issued under CARP (Republic Act No. 6657, as

amended by Republic Act No. 9700)

1. Coverage

2. Exemptions and Exclusions. (Section 10, RA No. 6657)

 3. Retention Limits Land Area

4. Ceiling of Award to Beneficiaries

5. Transferability of Awarded Lands

6. Repurchase

7. Collective Titles

DOJ OPINION NO. 100, s. 2012, November 13, 2012

K. Title issued under IPRA Law

1. Identification and delineation of Ancestral Domain

2. Issuance of Ancestral Domain Certificate of Title

3. Ancestral Domain and the Regalian Doctrine

Cases:
42. Cruz vs. DENR Secretary, GR No. 135385, December 6, 2000

V. Procedure and Processes

A. Public Land Applications

B. Confirmation of Imperfect Title

1. General Rules

2. Ordinary Registration Procedure (See Section 14 to 30 PD No.

1529)

3. Cadastral Registration Proceedings (Sections 35-38 of PD No.

1529)

Part II
Land Registration

I. Land Registration in General

A. Importance of Land Registration

B. Functions of Land Registration
C. General Legal Principles in Land Registration
 1. Identity of the Object and the Subject
2. Consent
3. Booking
4. Publicity
D. Title and Deed Registration
1. Deed Registration
2. Title Registration
3. Difference

II. Kinds of Title Registration

A. Original Registration
B. Transfer registration
C. Annotation

III. Torrens System of Land Registration

A. Introduction
1. Act 496 (Land Registration Act)
2. Act No. 3344 (Dealings in Unregistered Lands)
3. P.D. 1529
B. Purpose of the Torrens System in General
C. Administrative and Institutional Arrangement
1. LRA
a. Jurisdiction
b. Functions
2. The Register of Deeds
a. Jurisdiction
b. Functions
D. Principles behind the Torrens System
a. Mirror
b. Curtain
c. Insurance
E. Indefeasible titles under the Torrens System
1. Definition of Indefeasible Title
2. Concept and Features
a. Acquisition in Good Faith and For Value
b. Not subject to Prescription
c. Not subject to Collateral Attack
F. Registration of Deeds and Instruments
1. Meaning
2. Kinds of Deed Registration
a. Registration of Voluntary Dealings and Transactions
1. Jurisdictional Requisites for Registration
 2. Compliance with the essential requisites of a
contract
3. Observance of the Formal Requirements of a
public instrument
4. Submission of supporting documents for certain
transactions before registration as provided by
special laws
5. Procedure in Registration of Voluntary
Transactions in general
b. Involuntary Registration
1. Attachments and Executions
2. Procedure
3. Effects
3. Consulta
a. Definition
b. Procedure
G. Non-Registrable Properties
a. Properties of Public Dominion
-Articles 419,420,421,422,423,424 and 425 of the NCC

IV. Actions after Registration

A. Deferred Indefeasibility
1. In Patent
2. In Decree
B. Action for Reconveyance
1. As a consequence of acquisition in bad faith
2. As implied trust
3. Grounds
a. Acquisition in Bad Faith
b. Acquisition not for Value
c. Double Titling and overlaps
d. Other instances
4. Prescription of Action for Reconveyance
C. Action for Reversion
1. Grounds
2. Land Investigation by the DENR under Sec. 91 of the PLA
3. Institution of the action by the Sol Gen
D. Re-issuance of Lost Owners Duplicate of Title
1. Notice to the Register of Deeds
2. Procedure
E. Reconstitution of Lost Original Certificate of Titles
1. Administrative Reconstitution
2. Judicial Reconstitution
F. Correction and Amendment
 1. Grounds
2. Procedure
G. Adverse Claim
1. Purpose and Effect
2. Cancellation

V. Registration of dealings on Unregistered Lands under Sec. 113

of P.D. 1529

A. Concept of Unregistered Lands

1. Untitled Private Agricultural Lands
2. Unperfected Titles
3. Act No. 3344 and Sec. 113 of P.D. 1529

VI. Foreign Ownership

A. Background
B. B.P. 185
C. R.A. 8179

Cases:

1.Aznar Brother Realty Co. vs. CA 327 SCRA 359

2.Fule vs. De Lagare 7 SCRA 351
3.Tenorio-Obsequio vs. CA 230 SCRA 550
4. Treasurer of the Philippines vs. CA 152 SCRA 35
5. Egao vs. CA 283 SCRA 484
6. Dacasin vs. CA Gr No. L-32723, Oct. 28, 1977
7. Roxas vs. C GR. No. 138660 Feb. 5, 2004
8. Caram vs. Laureta GR No. L-28740 Feb 24, 1981
9. Crisostomo vs. CA GR. No. 91383, May 31, 1991
10. Embrado vs. CA and Cimafranca 233 SCRA 335
11. Agne vs. Director of Lands 181 SCRA 793
12. Golloy vs. CA 173 SCRA 26
13. Caragay-Layno vs. CA 133 SCRA 718
14. De Recinto vs. Inciong 77 SCRA 196
15. Republic vs. De Los Angeles G.R. No. L-30240 March 25, 1988
16. Heirs of Gonzaga vs. CA 261 SCRA 327 Prior title prevails
17. Realty Sales Enterprise vs. IAC GR. No. 67451, September 28,
1987
18. Azarcon vs. Vallarta G.R. No. L-43679, October 28, 1980
19. DBP vs. Mangawang 11 SCRA 405
20. Vda. De Jacinto vs. Vda. De Jacinto 5 SCRA 371
21. Widows and Orphans Assoc. vs. CA GR No. 919797 Cert. of title is
not conclusive where it is a product of a faulty registration*
22. Armentia vs. Patricia, 18 SCRA 1253*
23. Cultura vs. Tapucar 140 SCRA 311*
24. Caro vs. CA 180 SCRA 401*
25. Naga Telephone vs. CA 230 SCRA 351*
26. Leyson vs. Bontuyan GR No. 156357 Feb. 18, 2005*
27. Casipit vs. CA GR No. 96829 Dec. 9, 1991
28. Villagonzalo vs. IAC Gr. No. 71110, Nov. 22, 1988*
29. Amerul vs. Bagumbaran*
30. Solid state multi products vs. CA GR No. 8338, May 6, 1991*
31. Lacsamana vs. CA GR No. 121658, March 27, 1988*
32. Sapto vs. Fabiana, GR No. L-11285, May 16, 1958*
33. Caragay Layno vs. CA GR No. 52064, Dec. 26, 1984*
34. Lucas vs. Gamponia GR No. L-9335, October 31, 1956*
35. Roxas vs. CA GR No 138660, Feb. 5, 2004*
36. Republic vs. Ruiz GR No L-23712, April 29, 1968*
37. Martinez vs. CA G.R. No. L-31271, April 29, 1974
38. Republic vs. Garcia G.R. No. 92013, July 25, 1990
39. Republic vs. Alagad G.R. No. 66807, January 26, 1989
40. Republic vs. CA and Lastimado G.R. No. L-39473, April 30, 1979
41. Director of Forestry vs. Villareal G.R. No. L-32266, February 27,
1988
42. Atok Big Edge Mining Co. vs. CA G.R. No. 88883, January 18,
1991
43. Palomo vs. CA G.R. No. 95608, January 21, 1997
44. Republic vs. Marcos G.R. No. L-29675, September 30, 1969
45. Republic vs. Alagad G.R. No. 66807, January 26, 1989

References:

Agcaoili, Oswaldo, Property Registration Decree and Related Laws

(Land Titles and Deeds)

Bilog, Gregorio Jr., Land Titles and Deeds