GRANT OF TITLE
whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs or the value of
II. VENUE
1. PD 1529 Section 2. Nature of registration proceedings; jurisdiction of
courts. Judicial proceedings for the registration of lands throughout the Philippines
shall be in rem and shall be based on the generally accepted principles underlying
the Torrens system.
2. BP29
Section 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive
original jurisdiction:
(1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of
pecuniary estimation;
(2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real
property, or any interest therein, where the assessed value of the property
involved exceeds Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or for civil actions in
Metro Manila, where such the value exceeds Fifty thousand pesos
(50,000.00) except actions for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of
lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts;
(3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where he demand or
claim exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or , in Metro
Manila, where such demand or claim exceeds Two hundred thousand
pesos (200,000.00);
(4) In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross
value of the estate exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or,
in probate matters in Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds Two
hundred thousand pesos (200,000.00);
(5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations;
(6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal,
person or body exercising jurisdiction or any court, tribunal, person or body
exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions;
(7) In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive
original jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the
Courts of Agrarian Relations as now provided by law; and
(8) In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of
the property in controversy exceeds One hundred thousand pesos
(100,000.00) or, in such other abovementioned items exceeds Two hundred
thousand pesos (200,000.00). (as amended by R.A. No. 7691*)
Section 34. Delegated jurisdiction in cadastral and land registration cases. –
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
may be assigned by the Supreme Court to hear and determine cadastral or land
registration cases covering lots where there is no controversy or opposition, or
contested lots the where the value of which does not exceed One hundred
thousand pesos (P100,000.00), such value to be ascertained by the affidavit of the
claimant or by agreement of the respective claimants if there are more than one, or
from the corresponding tax declaration of the real property. Their decisions in these
cases shall be appealable in the same manner as decisions of the Regional Trial
Courts. (as amended by R.A. No. 7691)
III. APPLICANTS
1. PD 1529 Sec 14. Who may apply. The following persons may file in the proper
Court of First Instance an application for registration of title to land, whether
personally or through their duly authorized representatives:
(1) Those who by themselves or through their predecessors-in-interest
have been in 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.
(2) Those who have acquired ownership of private lands by prescription
under the provision of existing laws.
(3) Those who have acquired ownership of private lands or abandoned
river beds by right of accession or accretion under the existing laws.
(4) Those who have acquired ownership of land in any other manner
provided for by law.
Where the land is owned in common, all the co-owners shall file the application
jointly.
Where the land has been sold under pacto de retro, the vendor a retro may file an
application for the original registration of the land, provided, however, that should
the period for redemption expire during the pendency of the registration
proceedings and ownership to the property consolidated in the vendee a retro, the
latter shall be substituted for the applicant and may continue the proceedings.
A trustee on behalf of his principal may apply for original registration of any land
held in trust by him, unless prohibited by the instrument creating the trust.
2. Commonwealth Act No. 141
Section47. The persons specified in the next following section are hereby granted
time, not to extend beyond December 31, 1987 within which to take advantage of
the benefit of this chapter: Provided, That this extension shall apply only where the
area applied for does not exceed 144 hectares. Provided, further, That the several
periods of time designated by the President in accordance with section forty-five of
this Act shall apply also to the lands comprised in the provisions of this chapter, but
this section shall not be construed as prohibiting any of said persons from acting
under this chapter at any time prior to the period fixed by the President.
Section48. The following-described citizens of the Philippines, occupying lands of
the public domain or claiming to own any such lands or an interest therein, but
whose titles have not been perfected or completed, may apply to the Court of First
Instance of the province where the land is located for confirmation of their claims
and the issuance of a certificate of title therefor, under the Land Registration Act , to
wit:
(b) Those who by themselves or through their predecessors in interest have been in
open, continuous, exclusive, and notorious possession and occupation of
agricultural lands of the public domain, under a bona fide claim of acquisition or
ownership, for at least thirty years immediately preceding the filing of the
application for confirmation of title except when prevented by war or force majeure.
These shall be conclusively presumed to have performed all the conditions essential
to a Government grant and shall be entitled to a certificate of title under the
provisions of this chapter.
Art. 461. River beds which are abandoned through the natural change in the course
of the waters ipso facto belong to the owners whose lands are occupied by the new
course in proportion to the area lost. However, the owners of the lands adjoining
the old bed shall have the right to acquire the same by paying the value thereof,
which value shall not exceed the value of the area occupied by the new bed
Art. 493. Each co-owner shall have the full ownership of his part and of the fruits
and benefits pertaining thereto, and he may therefore alienate, assign or mortgage
it, and even substitute another person in its enjoyment, except when personal rights
are involved. But the effect of the alienation or the mortgage, with respect to the
co-owners, shall be limited to the portion which may be alloted to him in the
division upon the termination of the co-ownership.
Art. 712. Ownership is acquired by occupation and by intellectual creation.
Ownership and other real rights over property are acquired and transmitted by law,
by donation, by estate and intestate succession, and in consequence of certain
contracts, by tradition.
They may also be acquired by means of prescription.
Art. 1134. Ownership and other real rights over immovable property are acquired by
ordinary prescription through possession of ten years. (1957a)
Art. 1137. Ownership and other real rights over immovables also prescribe through
uninterrupted adverse possession thereof for thirty years, without need of title or of
good faith. (1959a)

(c) Members of the national cultural minorities who by themselves or through their
predecessors-in-interest have been in open, continuous, exclusive and notorious
possession and occupation of lands of the public domain suitable to agriculture,
whether disposable or not, under a bona fide claim of ownership for at least 30
years shall be entitled to the rights granted in sub-section (b) hereof.

3. IPRA RA8371

4. NEW CIVIL CODE

Art. 457. To the owners of lands adjoining the banks of rivers belong the accretion
which they gradually receive from the effects of the current of the waters.